What temperature should a refrigerator be maintained at?

The ideal refrigerator temperature range is 1°-4.5°C (34°-40°F) . Bacterial and mold growth are considerably slowed down at these temperatures, thus retarding food spoilage. Since water freezes at 0°C (32°F), this prevents fresh foods from freezing, although when the temperature is at the low end of the range, some areas in the refrigerator may be below the freezing point.