Leftovers can be a true lifesaver. But if you cannot use it properly, it could be putting your health at risk. You can be seriously ill when consuming it. So, it is very important to know what should you eat and whatnot. Doctors warn that some leftovers can be harmful to your health. Check out which leftovers in your fridge should be tossed right now.
Avoid the food left outside for a while
Leftovers that have been left outside the fridge for more than two hours are not safe to eat. A registered dietician nutritionist at the Mayo Clinic Katherine Zeratsky suggested, “Cooling your leftovers quickly, within two hours, to refrigerator or freezer temperatures is considered safe,” Katherine also said, “You want to help that food come down to refrigerator temperatures most quickly” To store the food in fridge you should use shallow containers. These containers will allow the food to be spread out so it can be chilled faster.
Leave prepared food that wasn’t refrigerated
If you forget to keep the prepared food in the refrigerator, the bacteria will grow in the food and made it unhealthy to eat. So, experts recommend throwing away any prepared food that has been left out for too long. You need to preserve the prepared food properly, especially the non-meat items such as pasta, rice, and beans. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends, “any dishes that sat out for two or more hours should be thrown away.”
Reheated the foods appropriately
Before eating leftovers, it is important to reheat those at least 165 degrees. Always make sure that it is safe to eat. By warming your food appropriately, you can get rid of any microorganisms that can make you sick. So, reheat your food at the right temperature and enjoy a hot meal. Katherine Zeratsky said, “It’s recommended that you reheat leftovers to a hot enough temperature, being 165 degrees, to ensure that it’s safe to eat, that that bacterial load has been controlled for.”
