In summer, with high temperatures and humidity, people tend to store food in the refrigerator to prevent it from spoiling or to cool it down and relieve heat. How to properly store and safely consume food in the refrigerator? The reporter interviewed Zhao Changpu, Deputy Chief Physician of the Hepatobiliary Spleen Stomach Disease Department at Henan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Various vegetables have different storage temperature requirements and need to be refrigerated or stored in a cool and ventilated place according to their types. Zhao Changpu introduced that in order to prevent green leafy vegetables from being frostbitten, they should be wrapped before being placed in the refrigerator and kept away from the inner wall. It is recommended that these vegetables be stored for no more than 3 days. Vegetables such as beans, eggplants, tomatoes, and green peppers can be stored at lower temperatures for 4 to 5 days. Vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, onions, white radishes, and cabbage can be stored in the refrigerator for a long time or in a cool and ventilated place at home. Fresh milk, especially pasteurized milk, has a relatively short shelf life, usually only about a week, and should be consumed as soon as possible after opening the lid. If it cannot be consumed completely, it can be sealed and refrigerated, but the shelf life can only be briefly extended. It is best to drink it within one day after opening the lid. It is recommended not to clean fruits before putting them in the refrigerator for refrigeration. To prevent water evaporation, you can wrap it in a paper bag first. If using plastic bags, it is necessary to make small holes to ensure ventilation and prevent the water evaporated from fruits from becoming a breeding ground for microorganisms. To relieve heat, many people are accustomed to taking out chilled food and eating it directly. Is it safe and healthy to eat like this? Zhao Changpu described a case where a patient took out an overnight watermelon from the refrigerator and felt that there was no obvious change in taste, but for safety reasons, the outer layer was peeled off and only the middle watermelon core was eaten. After he finished eating, he began to experience discomfort such as abdominal pain, bloating, and sagging, so he took laxatives in an attempt to expel the problematic watermelon from his body. After taking laxatives, he had a lot of diarrhea until he had dry mouth, fatigue, dizziness, and high body temperature, and then went to the hospital for treatment. Upon examination, it was found that he did not have simple gastroenteritis, but rather acute kidney failure caused by severe diarrhea and dehydration. Zhao Changpu said that the shorter the time the sliced watermelon is stored in the refrigerator, preferably no more than two hours, and it must not be left overnight to avoid the growth of a large number of bacteria. Zhao Changpu suggests that people with spleen and stomach deficiency and cold should not directly eat food taken out of the refrigerator. They can wait for a while before eating to reduce irritation to the gastric mucosa. Some people also eat popsicles to quickly relieve heat and cool down when sweating profusely, which is actually very unhealthy. Zhao Changpu said that at this time, the body is regulating and lowering body temperature, forming external coldness, which can easily cause external pathogens to invade the stomach; If you eat cold food again, it will cause internal coldness, which can be even worse for the stomach. (New Society)