Consuming the leftovers of some meals is a common custom in Brazilian homes. However, if food is not properly stored, it can cause serious damage to health, such as food poisoning, as at least 1 in 6 people are hospitalized with this condition each year. So, learn how to properly store leftover meals and avoid foodborne illness. Keep reading!
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What makes leftovers unhealthy?
In most cases, bacteria are primarily responsible for intoxication. That's because there are many types of bacteria that can cause a stomach infection, including:
- Clostridium perfringens
- campylobacter
- Salmonella
- Listeria monocytogenes
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Escherichia coli (AND. coli)
- Clostridium botulinum
In addition to bacteria, other pathogens can also contaminate your leftover meals. Thus, you also need to be on the lookout for viral and fungal infections such as:
- norovirus
- Hepatitis A
- Rotavirus
- Aspergillosis
- Fusarium
All of these pathogens can cause serious illness in humans, so it's important to take precautions when handling and storing food waste.
Keep leftovers refrigerated
The first step in preventing food poisoning from leftovers is to store food properly and refrigerated. Since bacteria multiply quickly in food that is stored at room temperature.
Furthermore, experts recommend that food should be stored within 2 hours of being cooked or within 1 hour if the ambient temperature is above 32°C.
What is the correct way?
Leftovers should be stored in a glass or plastic food safe container or wrapped tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap. The goal is to avoid exposure to air and potential pathogens.
In addition, ideally, leftovers should be stored in small, shallow containers to allow for faster and more effective cooling of the entire food.
In addition, it is recommended to consume these food scraps within 3 to 4 days, when stored in the refrigerator. However, if stored in the freezer, they can be eaten within 4 months.
