“Microbiologists have a saying that never fails: Germs Love Warm. This means that the higher the temperature, the higher their activity and the better their enzymatic equipment works." These are the words of the Professor of Microbiology at the University of Girona, Jesús García-Gil, who recalls that "bacteria are very active between 20 °C and 38-°C" and that "from this temperature they are destroyed very quickly ”. Therefore –continues García-Gil– “it is no coincidence that the large outbreaks of poisoning always occur in summer”. This means that the heat wave we are experiencing encourages the proliferation of all kinds of bacteria, "so it is relatively easy to find them in uncooked food."
For his part, Dr. Agustín Molins, a specialist in Nutrition and Dietetics and Aesthetic Medicine at Clínica Dr. Molins and a member of the Top Doctors platform, recalls that the fridge is not a 100% safe place to guarantee complete food safety. “It is true that high temperatures facilitate the arrival and proliferation of bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites that can affect the quality of food. But we must not forget that even in the refrigerator, although more slowly, food continues to decompose and continues to be a breeding ground for many germs.
The good news, according to García-Gil, is that, in general terms, "our nose does not usually fail, since when food ferments it releases volatile products that our body detects through smell", so that in the event of any doubt in the smell or appearance it is best to discard them. The professor also recalls that a series of basic guidelines must be followed when handling and preserving food, aimed at not breaking the cold chain, but reassures the population about the risks of cooking and eating outside in summer: "Spain It is at the forefront of the world in terms of food safety and Spanish companies have strict quality policies, so it would be very rare for a contaminated product to reach us”. This happens on rare occasions, which usually have a great media impact. Like the listeriosis outbreak that took place in Andalusia in 2021 due to a batch of contaminated shredded meat, which led to three deaths, five abortions and more than 200 affected, becoming the largest case recorded in our country.
Regarding the food that should be stored in the fridge when temperatures rise, García-Gil points out that there should be no differences with other times of the year: "The products that we refrigerate in winter must also be stored in the fridge in summer, and vice versa: Those that we keep at room temperature do not need to receive special treatment in summer.” For his part, Molins affirms that a good guide is to look at what they do in supermarkets. "Those who are in refrigerated places should go without any doubt in the fridge." Therefore, meat, fish and dairy products should be refrigerated, while in the case of other foods, such as fruits, "we should ask ourselves some questions, since in many cases they preserve their texture and flavor better if they are refrigerated and in others they are not." ”. We see which ones, yes or yes, we should keep in the fridge.
