How long can leftover food be kept in the refrigerator?

So, to have a healthy and enjoyable New Year's Day, learn how to safely store and reheat leftovers.

This starts at the very beginning – cooking. Here are some things to keep in mind when cooking.

Tet is the season of parties and eating. It is inevitable that there will be leftover food.

Cook thoroughly: Make sure to cook meat thoroughly to kill harmful bacteria that can cause food poisoning. Ground meat and poultry need to be cooked more thoroughly than beef, pork, lamb, and veal, according to Medical Daily.

Keep food safe: Find ways to keep food temperatures at or above 60°C or below 4°C to prevent spoilage.

Rapid cooling: Quickly cool food to 4°C or below to prevent bacterial growth. To cool quickly, divide food into shallow containers and divide large items into smaller portions before storing in the refrigerator.

When to throw away?

Hot food after cooking needs to be refrigerated within 2 hours. Leftover food, especially perishable foods, if left at room temperature for more than 2 hours must be thrown away, according to Medical Daily.

Safe ways to store leftovers: Wrap leftovers and store them in airtight containers to keep out harmful bacteria and retain moisture. Seal them in airtight packages to keep odors from seeping into the refrigerator.

Leftovers can be safely used within 3 - 4 days if kept in the refrigerator.

Safe ways to defrost leftovers

Frozen leftovers can be thawed in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave. Thawing in the refrigerator takes the longest, but is the safest process overall. Food thawed in the refrigerator should be used within 3-4 days.

Thawing in cold water will be faster but after thawing, food must be cooked immediately and then refrozen if necessary.

Defrosting in a microwave is the fastest method, but the food must be heated to 74°C. Food defrosted in a microwave at this temperature can be refrozen.

You also need to check regularly to clean the refrigerator.

However, after removing it from the freezer, if leftover food is left at room temperature for more than 2 hours, it is best to throw it away, according to Medical Daily.

Safe ways to reheat leftovers

When reheating leftovers, make sure to heat them thoroughly. If water is present, bring to a steady boil. Cover leftovers when reheating to retain moisture and ensure thorough heating.

How long can leftovers be kept?

Leftovers are safe to eat for 3-4 days if kept in the refrigerator. After this time, the risk of food poisoning from bacteria increases. Bacteria may not change the smell, taste or appearance of the food, so it is best to throw the food away if you are not sure it is safe.

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