Eating leftovers from the previous days might be an ideal time and effort saving option and a great solution to prevent food waste, but have you ever wondered if those foods that you reheat are safe to eat after hours of preparation?
It is true that they may preserve some of their delicious taste and appearance, but keeping them in the refrigerator does not necessarily mean that their nutritional value is safe for consumption the next day.
Unfortunately, reheating certain dishes may put you at risk of food poisoning or worse in some cases.
Below we review some foods that should never be reheated for health and safety reasons.
Potatoes can make you sick
The British newspaper, The Independent, explains that the problem with reheating potatoes is not actually in your choice of heating them in either the microwave or the oven.
If cooked potatoes are left to cool at room temperature for too long, bacteria that cause food poisoning may begin to multiply on them.
Also, reheating does not always heat the potatoes high enough to kill these bacteria, even if the dish appears hot enough.
So if you don't put the potatoes in the fridge right after serving, you don't risk food poisoning by eating them the next day.
If you don't put the potatoes in the fridge right after serving, you don't risk food poisoning by eating them the next day (Shutterstock)
Do not reheat the chicken
Although many people tend to reheat meat the next day, this can put your family's health at risk.
It is true that reheated chicken will not necessarily lead to food poisoning, but doing the process correctly to ensure that it is free of any damage is difficult.
Lydia Buchtman, a spokeswoman for the Australian Food Safety Information Council, explains that technically it's OK to reheat chicken.
However, it must be ensured that every part of the chicken reaches a temperature of at least 175 degrees Fahrenheit (79 degrees Celsius) to ensure that dangerous bacteria that thrive in the tissues of the meat are killed as it cools.
The only way to do this is with a cooking thermometer.
Furthermore, be sure to keep cooked chicken below 42°F (5°C) if you plan to reheat it the next day.
Any cooked chicken that has been in the refrigerator for more than 3 days should be discarded.
Make sure every part of the chicken reaches a temperature of at least 175 degrees Fahrenheit (79 degrees Celsius) to ensure that dangerous bacteria are killed (Pixabi)
Eggs from the day before threaten your stomach
If your bowl of eggs has cooled by the time you hang up an emergency phone call, it's okay to reheat it in the microwave for a minute or two.
However, the FDA advises that reheating eggs that have been left in for hours may be dangerous to your health.
The administration clarifies that eggs or meals containing eggs should not be left out of the refrigerator for more than two hours in fair weather, or more than an hour in hot weather.
This means that it is not always acceptable to reheat an egg dish the next day.
The danger is that bacteria such as salmonella can multiply rapidly in egg dishes, which leads to serious food poisoning that threatens the health and safety of the stomach and digestive system.
Eggs or meals containing eggs should not be left out of the refrigerator for more than two hours in mild weather (Shutterstock)
The dangers of heating rice
According to the BBC, cooked rice can be contaminated with a bacteria called Bacillus cereus that is dangerous to health and the body when eaten.
Although these bacteria can be neutralized by exposing them to extreme heat, at the same time they can form toxic spores in cold rice, which is usually heat-resistant.
Therefore, it is advisable to eat cooked rice as soon as possible without leaving it for hours at room temperature.
And in case you have to reheat the rice, make sure that every part of the dish has been exposed to a very high temperature.
You can make sure of this by placing a bowl of cold rice in the microwave for a minute or two, then taking it out, stirring it well, and putting it back in the microwave for another heating cycle.
It is recommended to eat cooked rice as soon as possible without leaving it for hours at room temperature (Pixabe)
Meals containing mushrooms
According to The Independent and the European Food Information Council, reheating mushrooms is a big mistake, as mushrooms contain proteins that can be damaged by enzymes and bacteria if not stored properly.
Poor storage: leaving meals containing mushrooms at room temperature for a long time until completely cooled.
Reheating and consuming old mushrooms can cause stomach ache.
If you really have to reheat mushrooms, the European Food Information Council recommends heating them to at least 158°F (70°C).
Mushrooms contain proteins that can be damaged by enzymes and bacteria if not stored properly (Pixabi)
Foods with green leafy vegetables
3 of the ingredients are among the healthiest foods that are risky when reheated in the meals saved from the day before, and they are spinach, celery and beets.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control, heat can cause these particular vegetables to release carcinogenic substances when reheated.
So it is necessary to eat it fresh every time to protect your health and the health of your family.
In general, any leafy vegetables should be avoided, and the Insider website explains that nitrates in spinach, for example, can turn into nitrates and then nitrosamines by reheating.
Heat can cause green leafy vegetables to release carcinogens when reheated (dpa)
Some of these nitrosamines are carcinogenic and can affect the body's ability to carry oxygen to cells.
So the next time you're excited to heat up last day's meals and relieve yourself of cooking, first think about whether the meal is healthy for your body or might hurt you later.