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A refrigerator (or fridge) is a household appliance that is used to store and preserve perishable food.
Food that is kept in a refrigerator lasts longer than food which is left at room temperature because the lower temperature slows down bacterial growth.
How a refrigerator keeps food fresh The main principle behind keeping food fresh is that the environment that food is stored in should be inhospitable for bacteria.
Before the invention of the fridge, people used the following methods to make life difficult for bacteria settling on our food:
Food that is kept in a refrigerator lasts longer than food which is left at room temperature because the lower temperature slows down bacterial growth.
How a refrigerator keeps food fresh The main principle behind keeping food fresh is that the environment that food is stored in should be inhospitable for bacteria.
Before the invention of the fridge, people used the following methods to make life difficult for bacteria settling on our food:
- Drying
- Pickling
- Salting
- Smoking
- Sealing in airtight containers
- Moisture
- Temperature
- Oxygen
- A food source with the correct PH (acidity) level
Refrigeration works because the temperature inside a fridge environment is cold enough to make it difficult for bacteria to grow. Temperature has the following effects on bacteria:
What we did before the fridge Before the fridge, we lived in an era of the 'icebox' or 'ice house'. This method of cooling food for storage involved ice that had been cut from winter ponds (or mechanically-produced), and stored until needed and delivered regularly.
Refrigerators allowed modern families to purchase, store, freeze, prepare and preserve food products in a fresh state for much longer than in the past.
Refrigeration also made it possible for people to enjoy a wider range of food, as the distribution and storage of food produce became much simpler. Other benefits of the fridge include:
- Chilling food to a temperature below 5 degrees Celsius makes it difficult for bacteria to grow.
- Freezing food (at a temperature of -18 degrees Celsius) will render bacteria completely dormant.
- Hot holding (or storing food at 63 degrees Celsius) controls the growth of bacteria.
- Cooking food (at temperatures exceeding 75 degrees Celsius) will effectively kill off bacteria.
What we did before the fridge Before the fridge, we lived in an era of the 'icebox' or 'ice house'. This method of cooling food for storage involved ice that had been cut from winter ponds (or mechanically-produced), and stored until needed and delivered regularly.
Until the start of the 20th Century, most people relied on this type of technology, although it was cumbersome and rather expensive.
Benefits of the refrigerator Household refrigerators were introduced in the 1920s, and gained significant popularity in the 1930s as prices fell and safer models were introduced.
Benefits of the refrigerator Household refrigerators were introduced in the 1920s, and gained significant popularity in the 1930s as prices fell and safer models were introduced.
Refrigerators allowed modern families to purchase, store, freeze, prepare and preserve food products in a fresh state for much longer than in the past.
Refrigeration also made it possible for people to enjoy a wider range of food, as the distribution and storage of food produce became much simpler. Other benefits of the fridge include:
- Prevention of pests and food poisoning
- Ability to store infrequently used items
- Made it possible to reuse or reheat food at a later date
