Food health and safety experts have weighed in on a number of the most dangerous foods to keep as leftovers. Leftovers are incredibly convenient for those trying to make sure their money goes further on a food shop, but there are a number of foods which should be eaten immediately.
In a TikTok video series, experts from High Speed Training shared the foods you should probably reconsider eating as leftovers – and the best ways to store any uneaten grub. The first two foods mentioned were rice and pasta. The experts said: “When it comes to rice and pasta it’s important to know that these foods can develop spores when cooked.
“If left at room temperature or not cooled properly the spores can multiply and produce toxins that are heat stable, meaning even reheating the food won’t get rid of them.”
To combat any unwanted spores, the experts advised cooling leftovers quickly, placing them in an airtight container in the fridge.
They continued: “If you won’t be using them within a day or two, freezing is the best option to keep them safe.”
Leaving rice at room temperature for too long can lead to developing food poisoning, as bacteria, such as Bacillus cereus, can grow and produce toxins.
Experts from Right as Rain at University of Washington Medicine further explained that Bacillus cereus, unlike Salmonella and E. coli which are foodborne bacteria, cooking or reheating your food won’t protect you from a Bacillus cereus infection because the toxins are heat-resistant.
These spores can also survive cooking or digestion and can afterward begin growing on food or in your intestines.
The Food Standards Agency shared: “Rice may be eaten cold if it is cooled down quickly. Put the rice in the fridge and consume within 24 hours.
“You can get food poisoning from eating reheated rice. It’s not the reheating that causes the problem, but the way the rice has been stored before it’s reheated.
“Keep rice in the fridge for no more than one day until reheating. When you reheat any rice always check the dish is steaming hot all the way through.”
