Leaving Rice and Pasta Out Too Long
Uncooked pasta or rice may contain spores of a bacteria called Bacillus cereus, and both the bacteria and its toxins can make you sick. The longer you leave cooked rice or pasta out, the more likely it is to have these bacteria and their toxins. What makes this particularly scary is that you might not even realize you’re doing it wrong.
Uncooked rice and pasta can contain spores of the bacterium, Bacillus cereus, which is common and widespread in our environments. If the rice or pasta is left standing at room temperature, like in a pot on the stove, B. cereus spores can quickly multiply and produce a significant amount of toxin. This happens faster than most people think – sometimes within just a few hours.
Ignoring the Two-Hour Rule
Don’t leave food on your countertop for more than 2 hours (or 1 hour, if it’s 90 F or hotter). Within 2 hours of cooking food or after it is removed from an appliance keeping it warm, leftovers must be refrigerated. This simple rule could save you from a nasty bout of food poisoning, yet millions ignore it daily.
To make sure it’s safe, put food in the fridge or freezer in the 2 hours after it’s cooked or taken off a heat source, such as a warming tray. If it’s hot outside (above 90 F), do this within 1 hour. After two hours, these foods enter the “danger zone” between 40 F and 140 F, a range of temperatures in which bacteria thrive. If a food item has been sitting on the counter or table for two hours or exposed to temperatures above 90 F for one hour, throw it out.
Reheating Food Multiple Times
Don’t reheat it again: If you have any left when you’re finished, throw it out. Many families develop the dangerous habit of repeatedly reheating the same leftovers, not knowing they’re creating a perfect breeding ground for harmful bacteria.
The most dangerous leftover practice that families engage in is combining different leftover foods together, creating what food safety experts call a “bacterial cocktail.” The practice becomes exponentially more dangerous when families repeatedly reheat these combined dishes. High-risk foods should not be reheated more than once. Each reheating cycle allows bacteria to multiply further.
Not Heating Food to Proper Temperature
To kill dangerous bacteria, you need to heat food to 165 F. The best way to tell if it has reached that temperature is with a food thermometer. Put it in different places, especially the thickest or deepest part, because dishes can cook unevenly. Most people just reheat until it feels hot, which isn’t nearly enough.
When reheating leftovers, be sure they reach 165° F as measured with a food thermometer. Reheat sauces, soups and gravies by bringing them to a rolling boil. Reheating food won’t kill or deactivate the toxins or spores that can make you sick, the experts stress. This is why proper initial handling is so crucial.
Using the Wrong Microwave Technique
Microwaves cook food from the outside in. This leaves cold spots where bacteria can grow. One study found that simply zapping a dish for 5 minutes didn’t kill salmonella. That quick reheat you do before rushing to work? It’s probably not doing the job you think it is.
To microwave safely, cover leftovers with a lid or vented plastic wrap. Halfway through cooking, stir, rotate, or turn the food upside down. Let stand for a few minutes, and put a thermometer in different places to check the temperature. If you’ve microwaved leftovers, you’ll need to wait a few minutes before digging in. Microwaves work by making food molecules vibrate quickly. To make sure your leftovers are safe to eat, let them stand for 3 minutes.
Keeping Leftovers Too Long
To protect against food poisoning, toss out food after 3 to 4 days in the fridge or move it to the freezer. While frozen leftovers are safe for a long time, they lose flavor and texture after 3 to 4 months. Many people push this timeline, thinking they can squeeze extra days out of their leftovers.
Freeze or Eat Within Four Days. Leftover food should be eaten or frozen within four days. Even food that has been refrigerated for a day or two can still be put into the freezer. The bacteria don’t care about your meal planning – they’re multiplying regardless of your schedule.
