From ketchup to milk, scientists reveal all the items you’ve been storing wrong – so do YOU agree? 

Keeping ketchup in the cupboard and avocados in the fridge may be something we do on autopilot when emptying our shopping bags.

But these scientists suggest that our kitchens may need a bit of a shake-up, because we actually store many of our staple foods incorrectly.

Opened sacks of flour, mayonnaise and potatoes are among the many perishables that fall victim to this in our homes.

But do you agree?

Brace yourselves, as MailOnline reveals a contentious list of foods and where they really belong in the kitchen.

Avocados

Where avocados belong really depends on what stage of ripeness they are at.

Unlike other fruits, such as berries and melons, avocados do not begin to ripen until they are picked from a tree.

This is why many store-bought avocados feel quite hard to the touch because they aren’t quite ripe by the time you take them home.

Therefore, Pleased suggests that fresh avocados should not be refrigerated as this will only keep them hard longer and delay the ripening process.

Only when they are fully soft and ripe are they allowed to stand in these colder temperatures.

As a result, they remain at a good ripeness level for longer and therefore remain tastier for much longer.

Food safety consultant Bruce Ferree of Insight Food Safety Consulting told MailOnline: ‘Intact fruit can be stored at room temperature. Once damaged or cut, the fruit darkens due to sugar/protein reactions.

‘At room temperature, the fat can quickly turn rancid. Avocados are best cooled and refrigerated.’

Raw meat

It’s common knowledge that raw meat should be kept in the refrigerator, but did you know that it’s best to keep it on the bottom shelf?

Professor Humphrey from the University of Liverpool previously told MailOnline: ‘The golden rule of fridge hygiene is that raw meat should always be kept in the bottom of the fridge.

‘Food that has to be eaten raw should also be kept separate from processed, homemade or raw meat. Fish is generally bacteria-free, but spoils quickly.’

Not only is the bottom shelf closest to the freezer, but cold air naturally sinks and collects on the lowest level of the refrigerator.

This makes it the coldest spot on the unit and therefore the perfect place to store your steaks, chicken and other meats – provided they are separated and enclosed.

Ketchup and Mayonnaise

It’s an age-old debate that divides households – where should ketchup and mayonnaise be stored?

While many argue that sauces should always be in the cupboard, others believe they stay fresh longer in the fridge.

To fix this, scientists say both are safe at room temperature until opened, but keeping them in the fridge is the better option.

Mr Ferree continued: ‘Both are safe at room temperature until opened. Once opened, it can become contaminated with spoilage or disease-causing bacteria.

‘In general, pathogenic bacteria cannot grow and multiply in products with a pH lower than 4.6.

“Mayonnaise is not acidic enough to prevent the growth and proliferation of pathogens, so it must be refrigerated after opening.”

Storing mayonnaise in the refrigerator also helps buyers stay away from salmonella — a bacteria commonly found in eggs and poultry products.

In some cases, this can manifest as fever, diarrhea, and stomach cramps that generally last up to a week.

“Mayonnaise is very different from ketchup,” he added.

‘Ketchup is very acidic, while mayonnaise contains a lot of fat (it is an emulsion of water and fat).

“If mayonnaise is kept at room temperature, the oil will turn rancid. Although ketchup does not go rancid, the color may darken at room temperature due to the presence of sugars and some protein.’

Apples

Placing apples in a bowl in the center of a coffee table may be the best option for many fruit lovers.

Still, scientists say if you keep your Granny Smiths and McIntoshs in the fridge, they might taste even better.

As an apple ages, it releases a gas called ethylene — a hormone that signals the fruit to ripen.

But it’s clear that storing apples in the fridge slows down this process, keeping the fruit fresh for longer.

Mr Ferree said: “Intact fruit can be safely stored at room temperature, but refrigeration improves flavor quality.”

Flour

Tossing an opened sack of flour into the cupboard may be a mistake for many of us once the baking is done.

But it is actually believed that keeping this in an airtight container is the best way to keep the product at its best.

This not only keeps pests away, but also water from the flour that can fall victim to bacteria and even mold.

Sarah Potter of the Institute of Food Technologists told MailOnline: ‘A well-sealed container not only prevents pests, but also keeps water out.

‘Water can create an environment in which pathogens can grow alongside clumping flour. Due to the low water activity in flour, pathogens such as mold and bacteria will not grow in flour.

This doesn’t mean they aren’t there. The heat kills them during the cooking process.’

Storing flour in a dark place, such as a cupboard, is also an integral part.

Light and heat cause the flour to go rancid, which does not affect safety, but creates an off-flavor that affects any food made with it.

She added, “A cool, dark place is best for both white and whole-wheat flour, but mostly because it extends the shelf life of whole-wheat flour.”

Eggs Storing eggs in the refrigerator door may seem like a no-brainer, with perfectly sized slots that seem too obvious to say no to.

But Vlatka Lake previously told MailOnline that these should actually be stored way back and nowhere near this place at all.

It turns out that egg trays are sensitive to temperature fluctuations due to the opening and closing of the refrigerator door.

This can cause your eggs to rot much faster than they would otherwise.

Bread

It’s not uncommon for bread to be stored in the refrigerator as well, and many believe that cooler temperatures will keep it fresher for longer.

Surprisingly, science suggests that this is also a no-no, as it allows it to go completely stale.

Low temperatures in the refrigerator cause the starch in the bread to recrystallize, making it harder and stiffer.

Mr Ferree added: ‘Bread is considered a non-hazardous food and can be stored at room temperature.’

Potatoes

You may be surprised to learn that potatoes are the “most important food” to keep out of the fridge, according to the Food Standards Agency.

It explains: ‘When these are kept in the fridge, the starch in the potato is converted to sugar.

“When baking or frying, these sugars combine with the amino acid asparagine and produce the chemical acrylamide, which is thought to be harmful.”

Mr Ferree also agrees with this sentiment, adding that cooler temperatures cause ‘spoiler organisms to grow’.

“It’s generally safe to store at room temperature, but watch out for soft potatoes,” he stressed.

Cake

Finally, just like bread, cake can also be stored outside the fridge at room temperature.

But scientists warn that you should check the ingredients first, because frosting can pose another danger to the cake itself.

Mr Ferree continued: ‘The icing on the cake could be another hazard and risk because of the moisture content and the ability for pathogens to grow and multiply.

“Science says you should side with food safety and keep refrigerated.”