Why does the watermelon in the refrigerator smell like leeks?

The refrigerator is a weird place. A half-eaten watermelon smells like chives, a slightly sweet slice of bread smells like pickles, and sometimes there is a faint odor in the refrigerator... It's inexplicable! After all, the refrigerator looks very clean!

Where does that weird smell in my refrigerator come from?
Some scholars have analyzed the odor components of refrigerator refrigerators, micro-freezers, and freezers, and identified a total of 41 substances, of which aromatic hydrocarbons accounted for the highest proportion, with a content of nearly 50%, followed by alkanes and alkenes, and also contained alcohols and esters. After analyzing the content of these identified chemical substances, it was found that aromatic hydrocarbons, alkenes and alcohols were the main odor components of refrigerators, among which 1-pentene and styrene were the main contributors to refrigerator odor components. Styrene, image source gzlncp The reason why these substances are contained in the refrigerator is that the components of the refrigerator will release styrene, toluene and other substances to varying degrees, thereby producing odors. (Of course, this is a newly purchased refrigerator. So it is best to remember to deodorize after buying a refrigerator) In addition to the odor emitted by the refrigerator itself, the food stored in the refrigerator will also affect the smell of the refrigerator. These odors include the odor of the food itself and the odor caused by food spoilage.

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The purchased food ingredients, leftover meals, etc. are not stored in a sealed manner, but are directly placed in the refrigerator. Naturally, the refrigerator will contain the odors emitted by these foods themselves.

Odor components of some foods, image source: "Study on Refrigerator Deodorization, Sterilization and Fresh-keeping Technology" In addition, although the temperature in the refrigerator is relatively low, bacteria or fungi can still survive and reproduce. When food is placed in the refrigerator for a long time, these bacteria or fungi will decompose organic matter such as protein, sugar and fat in the food during the reproduction process, producing a large number of low-molecular compounds, some of which (generally compounds containing elements such as nitrogen and sulfur) will emit a strong odor, making the refrigerator full of odor for a long time. In short, the smell of the food itself and the smell produced by the decomposition of food by microorganisms are mixed together to create a strange smell in the refrigerator.

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Sources and main types of bacteria in refrigerators

Where do the microorganisms in the refrigerator come from? Some are inevitably brought in during the process of storing and taking out food, while others grow inside the refrigerator. A large amount of food is stored in the refrigerator.

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Although the refrigerator refrigeration temperature is generally around 4°C, such a low temperature can only inhibit the growth and reproduction of microorganisms. In fact, even a low temperature of around 0°C can only slow down the growth and reproduction of microorganisms, but cannot kill them. Therefore, putting food in the refrigerator can only slow down the rate of their spoilage, but cannot completely prevent food spoilage. In fact, there are many types of microorganisms that can survive in the refrigerator, mainly including Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Shigella dysenteriae, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, Listeria, Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus, etc. Therefore, if your refrigerator smells strange, you should reflect on whether you have not cleaned the refrigerator in time recently. If the inside of the refrigerator is not cleaned for a long time, the refrigerator will become a paradise for microorganisms to thrive.

Use the refrigerator scientifically to eliminate odors

So how can we eliminate the odor in the refrigerator? First of all, you can eliminate the odor of the new refrigerator by opening the door for ventilation or using the method of static adsorption of activated carbon. When using the refrigerator, it is best to store the food in separate packages with plastic wrap or plastic bags to avoid the odors of the food itself affecting each other. In fact, it is to prevent odors from mixing, so that the bread slices do not smell like chives...

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In addition, if you want to keep the refrigerator clean for a long time, the food must be placed in separate areas. In the refrigerator, fruits and vegetables are placed at the bottom, cooked meat and dairy products are placed on the top, and leftovers can be placed in the middle layer. Leftovers and leftovers are the biggest killers of the refrigerator environment. Before putting them in, be careful that soups should be placed in deep bowls and plates to prevent the soup from overflowing, breeding bacteria, and contaminating the refrigerator. Of course, it is best to be diligent and regularly remove the food in the refrigerator. This is the best way to maintain hygiene. When cleaning the refrigerator, you can use a soft towel with a special refrigerator cleaner or alcohol to clean it. After a thorough cleaning, you can also put a box of baking soda in the refrigerator to keep the refrigerator smelling fresh!

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Now do you understand the source of refrigerator odor and how to remove it?

refer to:

[1] Bai Lianshe, Wei Bangfu, Li Meng, et al. Research on odor removal, sterilization and preservation technology of refrigerators [C]// 2012 China Household Appliances Technology Conference. 2012.

[2]Xu Yuan. Analysis of odor components and exploration of odor removal in food storage refrigerators[J]. Theoretical Research on Urban Construction (Electronic Edition), 2015, 5(026):740-741.

[3] Wang Linlin. Five points to remember when using refrigerators scientifically [J]. Nongjia Canshou, 2017, 000(013):41-41.

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#Audit expert Wang Guoyi, food safety postdoctoral fellow Tadpole stave original work, reprinted with source editor/heart and paper