What temperature should a fridge be? Food Standards Agency advises

You might have asked this question whilst fetching milk for your morning cuppa or when raiding the shelves for a midnight snack.

Either way, having your fridge at the right temperature is crucial for not only keeping your food fresher for longer but also to fend off bad fridge smells and bacteria.

To help you make the most out of your fridge (and the food inside it), the Food Standards Agency has answered that burning ( and in this case, freezing) question.

Household fridges should be set at 5 degrees Celsius or below, according to the Food Standards Agency. ( Getty Images) (Image: Getty Images)

What number should a fridge be on in the UK?

Household fridges should be set at 5 degrees Celsius or below, according to the Food Standards Agency.

The FSA explains that "this is because harmful bacteria grow best in what is known as the ‘danger zone’ between 8 degrees and 63 degrees".

Recommended reading

• How to save £113 a year by using your freezer efficiently
• Best way to store bread as Tesco issues warning to shoppers
• What foods should you not put in you freezer? See the 5 items

The agency also recommends using a fridge thermometer to check that your fridge is cold enough since fridge dials don't always display the right temperature.

It also recommends that you don't overfill your fridge and that you leave enough space to let air circulate.

You should take out items that don't need to be chilled to make room for instance unopened soft drinks or bread.

This will make room for the items that do need to be chilled for safety reasons, such as raw, ready-to-eat and cooked food, according to the Food Standards Agency.