Check Fridge Temperatures to Avoid Foodborne Illness

Scotland has about 43,000 cases of foodborne illness annually.¹ This figure could be reduced if household fridges were kept at the correct temperature—0⁰C to 5⁰C—to cut back on bacterial growth. Unfortunately, a study has reported that most fridges are kept at too high a temperature.

Food Standards Scotland (FSS) recently released the results of project FROST (Fridge Recording Over Set Time) that was conducted between August 2023 and May 2024. This study tracked fridge temperatures in over 350 homes across Scotland. The findings were that, on average, these temperatures are too high, thus increasing the risk of foodborne illness.²

The majority of fridges monitored during the FROST project—55.4%–had an average operating temperature of greater than 5⁰C. The FROST project report went on to state that a previous FSS consumer survey found that most people check their fridge temperature by looking at the fridge’s built-in display, which may not give the actual temperature. A better method is to check manually with a free-standing thermometer. “There was also a strong emphasis on unreliable methods, such as checking the dial/gauge in the fridge, which indicates the fridge settings rather than temperature, touching food to see if it was cold or looking for ice and condensation….”³

Note, too, that the FROST report states that the bottom of the fridge typically is cooler than the top of the fridge.⁴ FSS recognizes the need to publish further advice on where to keep food in the fridge to cut down on the risk of foodborne illness. For example, it is safer to keep low-risk foods, such as canned beverages, in the top and high-risk foods, such as leftovers or chilled ready-to-eat foods, in the bottom.⁵

Sources

1. FROST: Fridge Recording Over Set Time, Food Standards Scotland, published 03 June 2025, accessed 20 August 2025, https://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/downloads/FROST_Final_Report_June_2025.pdf, p. 5.
2. FROST: Fridge Recording Over Set Time, Food Standards Scotland, published 03 June 2025, accessed 20 August 2025, https://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/downloads/FROST_Final_Report_June_2025.pdf.
3. Ibid., p. 5.
4. Ibid., p. 11.
5. Ibid, p. 4.