Garlic is a staple ingredient in many kitchens, adding a flavourful punch to everything from soups and pasta dishes to sauces and dressings.

However, the way you store it could be impacting its taste, with research by Cornell University suggesting that “storing fresh garlic in the fridge is generally not a good idea”.

Sur La Table chef Richard Temples explained on Martha Stewart’s site why this is so: “The cold temperature in the fridge mimics autumn to garlic, and causes it to sprout within a couple [of] weeks. Sprouts are edible but can have a bitter flavour.”

While the taste is the only thing affected in this case, storing garlic confit or oil in the fridge can actually be hazardous.

Researchers revealed the unsettling science behind garlic storage: “This is because garlic bulbs are low-acidity, making them prone to Clostridium botulinum, better known as the culprit behind botulism”.

As for the ideal storage conditions for garlic, research indicates that garlic bulbs should be kept at temperatures of around 15.5C to 18C, away from direct sunlight and in breathable containers like paper bags, mesh containers or wire baskets.

And garlic isn’t the only ingredient you might be storing incorrectly.

If your cooking oil is conveniently located next to the hob, we’ve got some unfortunate news for you, reports the Daily Record.

Gut health specialists at ZOE have issued a stark warning against storing cooking oil next to the stove due to varying temperatures and light exposure that can spoil the oil’s quality.

On ZOE’s podcast, Elizabeth Berger, an expert in fine olive oils, advised: “You want to keep it where the temperature is constant.

“So away from the stove, away from a window where the temperature will fluctuate quite a lot.

“If you can keep it, you could always keep it in a cupboard, perhaps where you keep your salt and pepper and that sort of thing.”