There are Hidden Dangers to Eating Leftovers – A primer of Safe Re-Eats
So many people pick up food from a fast-food restaurant, or have it delivered to their homes, and enjoy the goodness of their favorite cuisine. Many times, however, there is too much to eat in one setting and it seems a waste to throw it away! Other times, consumers whip up something delightful and, again, are unable to consume it all. Both situations lead to saving food for later consumption.
But doing so can be dangerous. Just because food was safe and edible the first time it is consumed, there is no guarantee it will remain safe for consumption.
What are the problems? First off, many of the food consumers choose to eat are left outside of the safe 40 140 protection (storing foods below 40 or above 140). Food borne bacteria grows and replicates at an astonishing speed and does so most easily between 41 and 139 degrees. Very often food that is picked up from a restaurant, either by the consumer or by a delivery service, is held for a lengthy transit period even before it is set out on the counter or table for parsing up and consumption. Many consumers fail to take that into consideration when gauging the time that food has been held at room temperature. The general rule is “less than 2 hours” at room temperature.
But, even when cognizant of the 40-140 rule, the cooling or heating procedure is often flawed. Foods should be rapidly cooled and heated thoroughly. Some people mistake placing a large container into the refrigerator for cooling as “sufficient” to bring it to below 40 degrees quickly. Some foods can remain at unsafe temperatures for hours, especially in the refrigerator is opened frequently or over-full, preventing cooler air from circulating.
Then there is the danger of microwaving food. Microwaves cook unevenly and does not automatically kill bacteria. If the food is not reheated evenly to above 165 internal, the potential for ongoing bacterial contamination remains.
What about freezing food for later consumption? Again, there are risks. First off, freezing does NOT kill bacteria. It just renders it dormant (in most cases) and reactivates when warmed. As such, one of the most prominent mistakes is in the defrost period. Many consumers leave frozen foods at room temperature while it defrosts – but this is VERY risky as the bacteria will start to grow rapidly on the portion that defrosts first. Always defrost in the refrigerator, in cold water, or use a microwave oven.
Then there is Rice/Potatoes/Pasta – often known as “fried rice syndrome.” The cause is these cases is Bacillus cereus (B. cereus), a “spore-forming” bacteria that spreads on certain starches making them dangerous to eat after 2 hours at room temperature – after delivery, that may mean only one hour on the counter.
Leftovers can be wonderful but should be eaten only when handled correctly. NEVER eat pizza that has been left out overnight or food that is “just warmed” in the microwave. Enjoy the flavor, and economy, of your favorite foods, but do so deliberately and carefully!
