Expert warns of three foods you should NEVER keep in the fridge because they turn toxic

Got leftovers? Experts say you shouldn’t keep all the components from last night’s dinner in the fridge. 

In fact, keeping some foods cold could result in potentially-deadly food poisoning, one expert has warned. 

According to Jhanvi Sanghvi, a clinical nutritionist and influencer based in India, there are three ingredients that should never be refrigerated.

At the top of her list: onions. 

Keeping them in the fridge can lead to mould growth, Ms Sanghvi told her 11,000 followers on Instagram.

She explained the excess moisture on the onion provides the perfect environment for fungal spores to grow which can cause vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhoea if it’s consumed.

That’s because mould — a type of fungus — on food can produce mycotoxins, which are poisonous chemicals that can make you sick.

This is precisely why onions should instead be stored in a cool, dark and dry place, such as a cupboard, said Ms Sanghvi.

Putting garlic in the fridge poses similar risks. 

Ms Sanghvi said: ‘Garlic can sprout and become rubbery when refrigerated, losing its flavor and potency. 

‘It may taste bitter and less appealing at the same time develops moulds and fungi which is harmful for health.’

Spuds are another food that could become harmful when stored in the fridge, according to Ms Sanghvi.

‘Refrigeration causes starches to convert to sugars, resulting in a sweeter taste and a gritty texture,’ she warned. 

‘But cooking these altered potatoes at high temperatures can produce acrylamide, a potentially harmful compound,’ she added. 

Scientists previously warned keeping raw potatoes in the fridge could be a cancer risk.

However, whether or not this is the case is still debated.

It was, for decades, thought that storing the vegetable at low temperatures led to the formation of extra sugars. 

Experts thought these may turn into cancer-causing acrylamide when the spuds were fried, roasted or baked.

In 2023, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has updated its guidance to state that potatoes can be kept ‘either in the fridge or in a cool, dry place’.

Professor Thomas Sanders, at King’s College London, has questioned the science behind the cancer theory.

He previously told MailOnline: ‘Acrylamide is formed at high temperatures by a reaction with an amino acid asparagine.

‘This occurs mainly during deep frying and roasting. Blanching or soaking potatoes before roasting or frying reduces acrylamide formation.

‘Microwaved potatoes, baked or boiled potatoes don’t contain acrylamide.’

As well as flagging the ingredients that are toxic to keep in the fridge, Ms Sanghvi also highlighted foods that simply taste bad when stored this way. 

One food that should stay in the fruit bowl and out of the fridge is bananas. 

Ms Sanghvi warned cold temperatures can make bananas ‘turn brown and mushy’ because it disrupts their ripening process. 

Another food that stays fresher outside the fridge is ginger.

That’s because refrigeration can cause ginger to become dry and loses its freshness and flavour — making the root useless for cooking, she explains.