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Bottom shelf of the fridge

(106 Posts)
soontobe Wed 10-Dec-14 13:46:13

This may be a silly question or it may not be.

I know to put raw meat on the bottom shelf.
But is it ok to put something else there as well, that is cooked, so long as the two items do not touch?

The fridge gets crowded at christmas, so I am juggling space in it.

Do bacteria sort of run around? blush

soontobe Thu 11-Dec-14 15:52:24

spread where?

annodomini Thu 11-Dec-14 15:41:31

I don't think individual bacteria move, but they do multiply and spread with great speed.

soontobe Thu 11-Dec-14 15:02:39

Above post to petra.

haha rosequartz.

Some bacteria [bacterium sp?] seem to have tails

https://www.google.co.uk/search?tbm=isch&hl=en-GB&source=hp&q=bacterial+flagella&gbv=2&oq=bacteria+flagell&gs_l=img.1.1.0i10l10.1891.5078.0.7922.16.15.0.1.1.0.156.1610.7j8.15.0.msedr...0...1ac.1.34.img..0.16.1625.JmjM5CoukIc

soontobe Thu 11-Dec-14 14:57:36

You probably had adequate parenting.

rosequartz Thu 11-Dec-14 14:56:15

absent I'm trying to think of a single type of bacterium with feet – and failing. grin
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=funny+picture+of+bacteria&biw=1024&bih=634&tbm=isch&imgil=EtsPvKDPmkEm6M%253A%253BjF8a6iW1ai3YLM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fthemetapicture.com%25252Fbacterias-ethics%25252F&source=iu&pf=m&fir=EtsPvKDPmkEm6M%253A%252CjF8a6iW1ai3YLM%252C_&usg=__GIVf4yGJorxcoqCnWtVoYl230Qg%3D&ved=0CDoQyjc&ei=HbCJVLblKcm4UciZgdgB#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=PoX3eI4ypQjjxM%253A%3BbEt_N9J3SwGLCM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fst.depositphotos.com%252F1009487%252F2105%252Fi%252F950%252Fdepositphotos_21052843-Funny-bacteria-toon.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Ffunny-pictures.picphotos.net%252Ffunny-bacteria-toon%252Fthumbs.dreamstime.com*z*funny-bacteria-toon-28990306.jpg%252F%3B1024%3B1024

petra Thu 11-Dec-14 14:50:03

I don't know how I've survived without reading government websites giving me advice about cling film/ eggs in fridge/raw meat.

soontobe Thu 11-Dec-14 08:09:32

I meant kittylester's earlier post.

soontobe Thu 11-Dec-14 08:08:42

bacterium. If it doesnt have feet, presumably it crawls about?
But kittylester's post sort of pointed out that the bacterium do not move about to the fridge door or up another shelf etc. So it must stay on the original food.

soontobe Thu 11-Dec-14 08:05:21

Thank you for all the storage and other tips.

I have already started putting other things on my bottom shelf besides raw meat.

kittylester Thu 11-Dec-14 07:16:15

I'm with soutra - this thread is a bit like trying to teach your grandmother to suck eggs! grin

My fridge has an egg holder and I do use it to store eggs!

absent Thu 11-Dec-14 01:08:59

I'm trying to think of a single type of bacterium with feet – and failing.

rosequartz Thu 11-Dec-14 00:24:32

ambiguous post - not vegetables that are going to be cooked with the meat, but I meant you could store vegetables alongside the meat in the fridge.

rosequartz Thu 11-Dec-14 00:22:55

Well, if you are pushed for space you could store foods that are not meat but are going to be cooked along with the raw meat, eg vegetables, mushrooms, potatoes. The cooking would kill off any stray bacterium which had strolled across.

That would free up space elsewhere eg in the vegetable drawers, to store lots of other stuff.

And yes, I do have a potato bag that is supposed to stop them sprouting and keep them fresh, but it doesn't really work and I find they are better kept in the veggie drawer in the fridge!

rosequartz Thu 11-Dec-14 00:17:34

My fridge is modern and it does have an egg holder in the door.

I think clingfilm is safe to cover foods but I would never use it in the microwave.

A new washing up bowl to keep large pieces of meat or a turkey in is a great idea, I may try that. I always keep raw meat, bacon etc on the bottom shelf; however my veg drawers are underneath so I put the covered raw meat on a plate or in a roasting tin in the fridge. The cooked meat goes on the next shelf up with the cheeses, then the yogurts, cream (cream only at Christmas of course!) above that.

I usually follow Nigella's advice and take the meat out of the fridge for a while before cooking, I let it come to a cool room temperature first. We have a utility room which is quite chilly in winter because the radiator is rubbish in there, but it is ideal for keeping some foods cool if the fridge is overloaded.

jinglbellsfrocks Wed 10-Dec-14 22:09:43

No comment.

soontobe Wed 10-Dec-14 22:08:52

jingl. There was a cancer scare about cling film several years ago. So I have not used it since.

soontobe Wed 10-Dec-14 22:07:51

Ana. I dont understand what you are trying to say.

soontobe Wed 10-Dec-14 22:06:49

1.Sorry Soutra. I didnt mean to come across as dismissive of your suggestions.
2. I think we have all been trained to not have cooked meat or whatever on the bottom shelf, but I think the Government advice has tried to keep it simple. But I think we are sensible enough [now I know that bacteria does not walk across to another food], that we just have to keep things apart from each other and all will be well.
3. We will have to agree to differ. I have found that my eggs keep longer in the fridge, than outside it.
4. No we dont have food poisoning, and yes I do know about boards.
But on the strength of this thread, I fully intend to not just have raw meat on the bottom shelf.

annsixty. Our fridge doesnt have the egg compartment either.

jinglbellsfrocks Wed 10-Dec-14 21:47:32

Cling film.

End of thread.

Ana Wed 10-Dec-14 21:41:35

I'm a bit puzzled too, especially with regard to point 4 of Soutra's previous post.

There may be bacteria on the shell of an egg (although probably not life-threatening). There's probably bacteria on the outside of any container you use in the fridge - the low temperature in there just prevents it from multiplying...hmm

Soutra Wed 10-Dec-14 21:30:16

My fridge is a big JL one about 6 years old and came with a sort of dimpled plastic "extra" tray thingy for 6 eggs which would fit in the door but I don't keep them in the fridge anyway preferring to buy them fresh and never more than 9 at a time unless I am baking and keep them in a basket by the cooker.

annsixty Wed 10-Dec-14 21:17:58

You have made me realise that modern fridges no longer have egg holders in the doors as they used to. I never used them as I have never kept eggs in the fridge.

Soutra Wed 10-Dec-14 21:16:38

Sorry soontobe but you
1) said you were juggling fridge space over Christmas so just a suggestion. And those storage box lids which clip on are not openable by a cat or dog!
2) you brought up the quality of the "health advice" I maintain common sense would make it obvious and
3) why on earth keep a box of eggs in the fridge? They are best kept and used at room temperature but if your kitchen is really warm and you are unhappy, most fridges have egg holders which fit in the door. But frankly I would never keep them in the fridge anyway.
4) I find it hard to believe that you are asking about cooked/raw meat being in proximity to each other after presumably decades of not giving your family food poisoning! I presume you do know about not using chopping boards for food which does not require cooking after using the same board for raw meat??

soontobe Wed 10-Dec-14 20:55:28

tanith says that bacteria can be on the shell of an egg.

soontobe Wed 10-Dec-14 20:54:26

Our garage is not right next to our house. So I am not going to keep traipsing out there Soutra.
Besides which, the cat is out there, and sometimes the dog.