Khazanah Research Institute has reported that, on average, Malaysia generates 16,000 tonnes of food waste daily, most of which is household food.
Knowing how to store food correctly is one way to reduce this.
This is a safety standard followed by many government food and safety regulators.
The scientifically proven rule states that foods that require refrigeration cannot sit at room temperature for more than two hours.
If the food sits outside for two to four hours, it is best used immediately and not refrigerated again.
If the food sits beyond four hours, it must be discarded.
To prevent food contamination, it is advisable to clean the fridge regularly whether or not spills and leakages have occurred.
According to the US Food and Drug Administration, the ideal temperature of the fridge is at or below 4ºC and the freezer, at or below 0ºC, to inhibit the growth of bacteria.
If the fridge does not have a built-in thermostat, buy a fridge thermometer.
After doing all this, why does food still spoil too quickly?
If food is still spoiling quickly, the fridge may need servicing.
It is best to seek professional help to troubleshoot.
The back of the fridge is normally warm during operation but excessive heat is a tell-tale sign of overheating.
Common causes can include a motor fan running too hot, dirty condenser coils or poor ventilation.
There should not be any build-up of water droplets or condensation outside the fridge.
Since condensation can occur inside and outside the fridge, check on possible mould growth and repair the fridge quickly.
If food is spoiling too quickly, it could mean that the fridge is not reaching the optimum cooling temperature quickly enough.
Most fridges and freezers are frost-free but frost build-up can occur, usually caused by a cracked door seal that allows warm air to enter into the freezer or frozen evaporator coils that cause temperature fluctuations.