Editor's note: In this weekly column, Atlanta registered dietitian and Georgia State University nutrition instructor Chris Rosenbloom offers advice on how to maintain a healthy diet and active lifestyle. And she's prepared to answer your questions as well — whether you're trying to shed pounds, lower your cholesterol, fuel yourself to excel at your favorite sport or simply eat better and live longer.

What can't you see or smell but is everywhere? Bacteria. They are probably lurking in your kitchen even though it looks clean. A cleaning of your kitchen, especially your refrigerator, could be the most important chore you undertake this spring.

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Have you taken your refrigerator's temperature lately? If it has a fever, it could make your family sick. We take our refrigerators for granted, but this piece of equipment is critical for keeping foods safe. Keeping foods cold slows bacterial growth.

Your refrigerator should be kept at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below. The best way to know if it is cold enough is to use a refrigerator thermometer. You can find one in the housewares section of most stores. Hang it in the center of the middle shelf — not on the door, where the temperature fluctuates every time you open and close it — and make sure the thermometer reads 40 degrees or lower. If it reads higher than 40 degrees, use the refrigerator's controls to adjust the temperature.

Spring is also the time to toss those foods that have been hibernating in your refrigerator all winter: those leftovers hiding in margarine tubs, bits of cheese covered in mold and almost-empty bottles of condiments.

For a handy refrigerator calculator that will let you know how long you can safely keep leftovers, visit www.homefoodsafety.org and print out the one-page sheet for posting on your fridge.

Remember that "use by" dates and "expiration" dates are not the same. The "use by" date refers to optimal food quality, but it's still safe to eat after that date. The expiration date means "don't eat it" after the date stamped on the food. Don't bother using the sniff test to determine if something is safe to eat — pathogenic bacteria don't have an odor.

When cleaning your refrigerator, wipe down the shelves, drawers and surfaces with warm, soapy water. Don't use harsh chemical cleaners or bleach because they can damage the seals and leave behind odors. And don't forget to tuck a box of opened baking soda in the back of the refrigerator. Replace it every three months to help eliminate odors.

The last thing to do for your refrigerator spring-cleaning is to get down on your hands and knees (this is a good job for a teenager) to clean the front grill and vacuum the condenser coils. This helps to keep the refrigerator working at peak efficiency.

There are a few other tasks you can tackle to make your kitchen safer. Root through your cupboards and recycle any containers that are designed for one-time use. Sour cream cartons, frozen whipped topping tubs, takeout boxes and egg cartons should not be reused to store or reheat food. Even with thorough washing, bacteria may be hiding in the nooks of these containers.

Sanitize your countertops with 1 teaspoon of bleach in 1 quart of water, and pour the water down your drains to kill off any food particles that get trapped in the drains and garbage disposals.

This spring, ditch the sponges and buy some dishcloths. Sponges and pot scrubbers are perfect receptacles for bacterial growth, so use dishcloths and wash them frequently in hot water in your washing machine.

HELP ONLINE

For more information on keeping your kitchen healthy, visit these Web sites:

• www.foodsafety.gov

• homefoodsafety.org

• fightbac.org

• Chris Rosenbloom, Ph.D., R.D., is a member of the nutrition faculty in the College of Health and Human Sciences at Georgia State University. She'll answer nutrition questions of general interest at dietitian@ajc.com. Or send your questions to her c/o The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Eighth Floor, 72 Marietta St. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30303.