Most refrigerators are set at around 36 to 40 degrees, but the perfect temperature is right at 32 degrees. However, if you were to set your refrigerator at 32 degrees, the temperature would fluctuate enough that you would most likely end up freezing some foods. This is why most people tend to set their refrigerator temperatures slightly higher so that things stay cold, but not frozen.
If in an emergency, and ice is available, you can actually make a perfect refrigerator. Make this by putting clean ice in a cooler. Then, fill cooler with clean water to the point where it barely covers the ice. Now, put food items in the ice bath in a sealed container.
Make sure to use clean ice and clean water (do not add salt, it changes freezing temperature of water)
This ice water bath keeps food right at 32 degrees but won't freeze it, and provides a longer shelf life to the foods because of colder temperatures.
If you'd like to know the science behind this concept, check this out:
