Why the viral trend 'fridgescaping' could be dangerous, health experts say
"Fridgescaping" — or the viral art of "decorating" the inside of a refrigerator as if it's a room in a home — could have consequences far beyond grabbing social media likes and attention, health experts said.
While keeping a fridge clean and organized makes sense, "fridgescaping" — including placing things that are not normally found in a refrigerator, such as picture frames, lights and mirrors — could promote bacteria growth within the food stored there.
"The inside of a refrigerator is no place for decorating," said Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News and clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center.
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"Let's remember that much of the food you refrigerate is perishable and easily contaminated, and it can also transfer allergens — which could be dangerous for children," Siegel also told Fox News Digital. "You could be bringing bacteria in this way, too."
He emphasized, "Your fridge is for food."
Another expert shared similar concerns and warnings.
Dr. Maria Knobel, medical director of Medical Cert UK, told the health website Healthline, "When you place decorative elements inside your fridge, especially if they are not food-safe or are difficult to clean, you could inadvertently introduce contaminants."
She added, "For example, decorative items might harbor bacteria or mold, which can then come into contact with food items."
The non-food items in a fridge could also impact air circulation and the temperature of the items that are stored in the refrigerator, which could promote bacteria growth.
Chemical exposure is also a risk, Knobel told the same outlet, as many of the items used for fridgescaping are not meant to be around food for long periods of time.
"Some decorative items may be made from materials that are not intended for use in food-storage environments," she said.
"If these items degrade or release chemicals, there is a risk of these substances coming into contact with your food."
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In a discussion of the trend on Fox News' "The Five" this week, host Judge Jeanine Pirro noted, "I like the idea of being organized … but some people put pictures [in their fridges] — enough!" (See the video at the top of this article.)
Other hosts of "The Five" were also unimpressed with the trend.
"The next time that all of these young people that are on TikTok … say they have so much anxiety, but they have time for this – I'm going to tell them to jump in a lake," Dana Perino joked.
"Gutfeld!" host Greg Gutfeld expressed similar frustration with the inside-the-refrigerator trend.
"This is like getting a tattoo on an internal organ," he said. "Nobody is going to see it! What is your problem, people?"
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Food, Gutfeld also joked, is now "so expensive" today that a fridge has become an "art installation."