The cool air inside a refrigerator compartment 2 is introduced through a return opening 10 into an ion generation chamber 45 provided behind the refrigerator compartment 2. A voltage is applied to a needle-like electrode 11a arranged in an upper portion of the ion generation chamber 45 so that, by corona discharge, positive and negative ions are discharge substantially parallel to the cool air circulating in the direction indicated by arrow B2. This helps alleviate the loss of ions resulting from collision with a wall surface, and permits the ions to reach a wide area. This prolongs the period for which the cool air is kept in contact with the ions, and thus helps enhance the sterilizing effect.
