Revealed: the right temperature to set your fridge this Christmas to help prevent food poisoning

It is one of the best moments of the Christmas holidays.

But the government’s food watchdog says your plate of leftover Christmas dinner could be putting you and your family at risk of food poisoning.

By storing leftovers at the wrong temperature, many people allow harmful bacteria to celebrate their own Christmas, creating a potential health hazard.

So, what’s the right temperature to set your fridge this Christmas?

According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), your refrigerator should be set to at least 5°C (41°F) or lower to store food safely.

The agency warns that you should check the temperature of your refrigerator at least once a week with a thermometer.

If your refrigerator is warmer than you expect, food may spoil more quickly and become unsafe to eat before you have a chance to enjoy it.

Robin May, chief scientific adviser at the FSA, said: ‘Don’t be a turkey – our new data shows us that people are taking unnecessary and avoidable risks in the way they cook, prepare and store food.’

Many Britons are at risk of food poisoning during the holidays, according to a study by the FSA.

This is especially true when it comes to leftovers, as any time spent out of the refrigerator allows bacteria to grow.

The FSA says almost half of Brits are playing ‘buffet roulette’ by leaving food out of the fridge and eating it a few hours later.

According to official FSA guidelines, food should be left out of the refrigerator for a maximum of four hours at a time.

So if you plan on coming back for a few more seconds, make sure you don’t leave it too late before putting the food in a cool place.

However, when it comes to refrigerating your food, it is crucial that you do it correctly.

The FSA found that 27 percent of people are likely to leave food that needs to be refrigerated in a cool place such as a porch or garage because there is not enough space in the refrigerator.

Mr May says: ‘When you’re cooking for a large crowd there’s a lot to think about and perhaps not a lot of space in the fridge.’

But even though it may be busy, it’s important that you keep anything you want to eat later properly refrigerated.

Experts have previously suggested that you should place leftovers at the top of your refrigerator and leave the cooler areas at the bottom for fresh food.

A raw turkey, on the other hand, should be stored as low as possible to prevent any juices or contaminants from leaking onto your food.

The FSA says you should keep leftovers in the refrigerator for no more than two days before eating them.

After that, the buildup of germs can make the food dangerous to consume.

But if you don’t have room in the refrigerator or in your stomach, the FSA says you can safely freeze leftovers to eat later.

However, your freezer must be at least -18°C (-0.4°F) to completely stop the development of germs.

Similarly, the FSA found that you may be at risk of food poisoning even before dinner is cooked.

Of those who responded, 46 percent said they don’t always pay attention to expiration dates when preparing food.

Another two-fifths of people said they occasionally cooked meat, such as pigs-in-blankets or turkey, that was past its sell-by date.

While the expiration date on food packaging refers to quality, the expiration date is about food safety. So it is important not to eat any food after this point.

If you want to further extend the life of your food, you can freeze food anytime before the expiration date and safely eat it later.

Mr May said: ‘Although we talk about this in a light-hearted way, there is a serious message behind the data.

“No one likes being sick during the holidays, especially at a time when friends and family gather, including people who are more vulnerable to food poisoning, such as older relatives or pregnant women.”