April 7 is World Health Day and this year s theme is Food Safety.
While cooking many of us overshoot the quantity and end up storing leftover food in the refrigerator. However, not many of us realise that this practise is dangerous. Here are three major reasons you should avoid eating leftover food.
Overload of bacteria and other micro-organisms: We don't usually refrigerate food immediately after cooking. We tend to bring it down to room temperature and then refrigerate it. This practice causes the micro-organisms to multiply and spoil the food.
Cross contamination: When you store food with high bacterial load in the refrigerator, other food products also get contaminated with these bacteria. As a result, the chance of your food spoiling increases along with the chance of your family falling ill. You may also like to read about the simple ways to prevent food poisoning.
Loss of nutrients: We tend to cook food on high flames, which results in loss of nutrients. However, refrigerating them for a long time also results in loss of nutrients, rendering the food useless. Hence, it is important to not store leftovers for a long time and eat them quickly. You may like to read about 5 simple rules to ensure the food you serve your family is safe.
Here are some easy tips for you to store leftovers correctly:
Never refrigerate leftovers for more than four days.
Store meat and meat products separately and away from raw foods. Ensure that meats are completely covered and also kept on a separate rack in the fridge, preferably below.
Reheat stored food properly to approximately 70 degree Celsius before consuming it.
Don't rush to taste food that has been stored for a very long time.
Image source: Shutterstock
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