Can a Mini Fridge Kill You?

can a mini fridge kill you

Mini fridges are a great way to keep food and beverages chilled. They are especially popular for use in offices and small spaces like dorm rooms.

Many of them also come with freezer sections, which is handy for keeping frozen foods and ice trays cool. Some even have temperature controls, making them ideal for storing beauty products or medicine.

1. Frozen Foods

When a power outage or other emergency strikes, a mini fridge is a great place to store frozen foods. They’re also good for storing other items like candles, matches, maps and emergency money.

Freezing protects food from spoilage by slowing down bacteria, yeasts and molds. But it doesn’t kill them, says Trevor Suslow, a food science extension specialist at the University of California, Davis.

Rapid freezing produces small ice crystals that cause less damage to cell walls than slow freezing, which creates larger ice crystals. The resulting products are generally lower in quality and nutritive value, so freeze foods carefully within the recommended storage times.

2. Bacteria

Whether you’re in a dorm, living in a small apartment or need to keep your skincare products chilled, a mini fridge can be a lifesaver. Typically freestanding or built-in, they offer extra space for your favorite beverages and snacks.

Most importantly, a mini fridge can help you avoid foodborne illnesses by keeping your fruits and veggies properly cold. However, you should always remember to follow the USDA’s temperature guidelines for meats, poultry and seafood to keep them safe.

A mini fridge also helps keep bacteria in check by reducing the amount of oxygen available to them. This is a big deal for certain types of bacteria, especially ones that are known to cause foodborne illness. In particular, listeria monocytogenes can thrive in a refrigerator and can make you sick if not properly handled.

3. Chemicals

If you have a mini fridge, chances are it was made to store chemicals. They’re essential for refrigeration and some can even be toxic if not properly stored.

Chemicals are typically stored in a variety of ways, from small bottles to large containers. They’re often provided with a safety data sheet that explains how to store them safely at their recommended temperature.

The most common way to store chemicals is in polystyrene. This material is a popular insulator and is also used as padding in refrigerators to keep heat out.

While it is a safe and effective insulator, it can produce a chemical smell. It may be due to a Freon leak, microbes, or cleaning products.

4. Alcohol

A mini fridge is a cool way to store your favorite beverage, or an array of snacks, without taking up too much room in the kitchen. This model from Liberty Home Guard features an adjustable thermostat for maximum comfort and efficiency, a bottle opener, and a cleverly designed door that slides back on its own for easy cleaning. The aforementioned energy-efficient model can keep a couple of bottles of wine chilled for hours on end, while the built-in freezer compartment can make a tray of ice or a frozen dinner last a few days.

The best part? It only costs a few bucks to run. The company has been around since 1939 and sells a variety of products including refrigerators, air conditioning units, and water heaters in a wide range of sizes to meet your needs.

5. Food Allergies

Keeping common food allergens like milk, eggs or peanut butter out of reach for children with allergies is a priority for many families. Unfortunately, even with a separate shelf in the fridge, these foods can still be easily contaminated by other food items. To avoid this, keep these foods in their own mini fridge where they can be kept separate from other items. This will help ensure that kids who have food allergies aren’t able to come into contact with these allergens, which can cause a serious reaction if they’re ingested.

When shopping for a mini fridge, consider how much you plan to store in it and whether it will need to include a freezer section. This is especially important if you plan to use it to store frozen meals or ice trays.

Available for Amazon Prime