Refrigerators

A refrigerator is an appliance which preserves different stuffs like food by cooling. A refrigerator uses electricity to operate.

1. Food is kept in a refrigerator to keep it fresh for a long period of time while preserving its taste and nutritional values.
2. It also saves time as there is no need for shopping for food stuffs every day.
3. In hospitals and pharmacies, refrigerators are used to store medicines for similar reasons. Medicines are kept at low temperatures to retain their effectiveness.

Refrigerators are more important in areas with hot climate than those with cold climate. In days with high temperatures, people sell soft drinks preserved in refrigerators to earn money.

A refrigerator showing different stored foods

Parts of a refrigerator

Refrigerator for foods preservation has two parts, kept at different temperatures. The first part freezes foods and the second keeps foods cold. It is important to identify which foods require freezing and which foods need to be kept cold in a refrigerator.

The freezer

The part of the refrigerator which freezes food items is called the freezer. In some refrigerators, the freezer is the upper compartment while in others it is the bottom compartment.

Anything kept in this part will eventually freeze. This part is used to store food that is to be preserved for longer time like meat, fish and milk. Fresh seeds like peas or beans and other types of food stuffs that may spoil when kept under normal temperature should also be stored in the freezer.

The fridge

The compartment of the refrigerator which does not freeze is called the fridge. This part normally has several partitions.

How to use a refrigerator

It is very important to use a refrigerator appropriately so that it lasts long. Every new refrigerator has a manual which instructs users how to use it.

1. Avoid to keep hot foods in refrigerators. Putting hot food in a refrigerator will result into an increase of its temperature to more than the desired 5°C. Increased temperature favours the production of microorganisms like bacteria which may spoil foods stored in the refrigerator.

2. Do not switch ON and off the refrigerator frequently. This is because doing so slows down the ability of the appliance to perform its functions.

3. Clean the refrigerator. Before cleaning the refrigerator, make sure that it is switched off. Clean the compartments using water and soap. Do not use any scratching material to clean the refrigerator. Once cleaned, dry it using a piece of soft cloth. You are also advised to clean any food that falls from its storage part before it sticks to the walls of the refrigerator.

4. Place similar types of food in the same compartment. You are advised to pack vegetables and fruits in appropriate bags before storing them in the refrigerator. Do not use glass containers to store food in the freezer because glass can easily break and contaminate food. Not every food should be stored in a refrigerator. Food such as flour, uncooked rice and onions should be stored in a clean and dry safe place and not in a refrigerator.

5. Close the door of a refrigerator properly. Ensure the door of the refrigerator is properly closed to prevent exchange of air between the refrigerator and the outside.