Research reveals public need to check fridge temperatures to avoid foodborne illness

Released ahead of World Food Safety Day (7 June), the results from a citizen science project conducted by Food Standards Scotland (FSS) reveal that, on average, fridge temperatures are too high putting the public at increased risk of foodborne illness.

Despite the recommended operating temperatures for a fridge being between 0-5℃, the majority of fridges (55.4%) monitored in FSS’s Fridge Recording Over Set Time (FROST) trial had an average operating temperature of greater than 5℃.

Over 350 homes across Scotland participated in FROST, which was conducted between August 2023 and May 2024. Temperature loggers, sent out by FSS, were placed in the participants’ fridge and tracked its temperature over two weeks.

Results also revealed that although the average temperature overall for the trial was 5.17℃, individual average fridge temperatures ranged from 0.39℃ up to 10.94℃.

While the age of the fridge did not impact its temperature, the type of fridge did with American-style and free-standing fridges giving significantly lower temperatures overall.

“There are an estimated 43,000 cases of foodborne illness annually and your fridge can be the first line of defence when keeping food safe. Fridges need to be kept at a temperature between 0-5°C to slow the growth of bacteria and keep food fresher and safer for longer but, worryingly, a majority of fridges are not at the correct temperature,” says Dr Louise Crozier, Senior Scientific Adviser at FSS.

“From this research, we know that there is additional work needed to increase consumer awareness on checking fridge temperatures using a fridge thermometer to ensure it is operating between 0-5°C and to develop further advice on food placement and storage to minimise the risk of foodborne illness.

“This is the first time we have conducted a citizen science project, and we are delighted at the response from the public and to involve them in our research.”

FSS is hosting a webinar on Wednesday 18 June to present the full results of the research which participants, industry experts and the media encouraged to attend. To register for the event, please visit: FROST webinar | Food Standards Scotland