Tips for Storing Food Waste to Prevent Poisoning

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Photo Source: Flickr/Marco Verch

Not all foods have to be eaten at once. In order not to get stale, we usually put it in the refrigerator or on the dining table. However, if we store it carelessly, we can expose food to bacteria, which can cause poisoning if re-consumed. Is there a way we can avoid this health problem?

How to avoid poisoning when storing leftovers

Abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are some of the symptoms of poisoning. In fact, in many cases, this can be potentially dangerous. Therefore, in order to avoid poisoning, we must be careful when storing food.

Here are some things we should keep in mind when storing food.

1. Do not leave food too long at room temperature.

If there are enough leftovers and they tend to spoil quickly, they should not be stored at room temperature for more than two hours. Otherwise, bacteria will quickly develop, and food will spoil more easily. You should immediately place it in the refrigerator to make it more durable and prevent the spread of bacteria.

2. Can store warm food in the refrigerator

Professor Philip Tierno, a health expert from NYU Langone Medical Center in the United States, stated that food that remains warm can actually be stored in the refrigerator if it will be consumed again for a long period of time. This suggests that the idea that we should wait for food to get cooler before putting it in the refrigerator is wrong.

If we wait longer and keep food at room temperature, bacteria can thrive faster, which can lead to stale food faster.

3. Before placing leftovers, always check the condition of the refrigerator.

If the refrigerator is full, the cold temperature may be uneven, and food may spoil faster. As a result, we must be careful when choosing and placing various items in the refrigerator.

There is also the possibility of bacterial cross-contamination inside the refrigerator, especially if there are raw foodstuffs such as meat. We can prevent bacterial contamination by storing leftovers in sealed containers, if necessary.

4. Set the temperature of the refrigerator

Health experts say that the temperature of the refrigerator can affect how durable the food in it is. The recommendation of health experts is to keep the temperature of the refrigerator between 4.4 and 7.2 degrees Celsius. Food can multiply more slowly if stored in the freezer at temperatures below 0 degrees Celsius. This can cause food to go stale faster.

5. Carefully heating leftover food

Leftovers must be preheated before putting them in the refrigerator to a temperature of 73 degrees Celsius. We can heat it in the microwave or on the stove.

6. Be more careful when storing seafood

Health experts say that seafood is most likely to go stale, especially when cooked with coconut milk or other condiments. But smoked fish is usually more durable. In addition, seafood should be stored in a closed container so that it is not easily exposed to bacteria that cause spoilage.

7. Always maintain cleanliness

Always wash your hands before reheating or putting leftovers in containers. Also, make sure the area of the refrigerator used to store food is clean.