Leftovers can be a lifesaver when it comes to a quick office lunch or effortless dinner. Unfortunately, reheating some dishes can create a risk of poisoning or worse. In this article you will learn what not to warm up in order not to expose your health to risks you are not even aware of!
The microwave is undoubtedly our best friend when we don’t have the time or energy to prepare a fresh meal. However, you may be amazed to learn that some foods not only lose their nutritional value when reheated, but can even become toxic and dangerous. Here’s what foods you shouldn’t reheat!
What not to warm up and why
Food is full of bacteria that can cause food poisoning when reheated and also lead to foodborne illness. Rice and noodles, for example, contain spores of a bacterium that survive even after the rice is cooked. At room temperature, these spores grow into bacteria and become toxic upon reheating, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea.
Similarly, leafy green vegetables like spinach and celery are high in iron and nitrates. When reheated, these nitrates can convert to nitrites, and your food can develop carcinogenic elements as a result. But is that right or is this a myth? Read on and you will find out! What not to rehash -Here is the full list!
Reheating rice & pasta can lead to bacterial poisoning
If you haven’t considered that last night’s portions of rice and spaghetti could give you serious stomach problems, we’ll explain why right here.
Uncooked rice and pasta can contain spores of the bacterium Bacillus cereus, which is common and widespread. Notably, B. cereus survive even after the food has been cooked. And if it’s not eaten hot immediately, or chilled quickly and placed in the refrigerator within two hours, B. cereus spores can multiply rapidly and produce a significant amount of toxin that is released upon reheating.
It’s also important to know that B. cereus is one of the most common causes of foodborne illness. Symptoms are abdominal pain, cramps, fever, vomiting, and/or diarrhea that begins six to 12 hours after eating. However, most people who become infected with B. cereus recover within 24 hours. The biggest health threat is dehydration. Drinking plenty of fluids as the infection progresses is often the only treatment necessary, although some severe cases may require antibiotics.
How to get rice and noodles right on the table
Both pasta and rice should be cooked according to package directions and served immediately while still hot. If this is not possible, or if they are cooked in advance, they should be chilled quickly after cooking and placed in the refrigerator within a maximum of two hours. In shallow containers, lay the food in thin layers so that it cools faster. The bottom shelf is usually the coldest part of the refrigerator. Make sure the containers are well covered and sealed.
Notice: Remember that the number of bacteria in the danger zone from 4 to 60 °C can double every 20 minutes, so time is definitely of the essence.
If you are reheating rice and noodles, you should heat them to 75°C and consume them immediately. Don’t reheat entire meals more than once and don’t store them for more than a few days, even if they’re well chilled. If you find that cooked rice has an unpleasant odor or has dry, crunchy grains when reheated, you should not eat it. Throw him away.
To reheat spinach or not – which is correct
Spinach is one of those leafy greens that we hated as kids, but eventually in adulthood we realize it’s surprisingly delicious. A few years ago, an interesting myth circulated about the safety of spinach — more specifically, overcooked spinach.
It read as follows: Like many other leafy green vegetables, spinach is rich in nitrates and iron. When heated, the nitrates begin to decompose, turning into nitrites, which in turn can become nitrosamines. Nitrites can interfere with oxygen uptake, and nitrosamines are a known carcinogen.
This naturally led to the question: can you reheat spinach or not? First, the European Council on Food Information took the position that it should not be warmed up. But then a study came out that backed it up with scientific arguments that reheating spinach is indeed safe for your health. However, it’s best if you do it slowly and over low heat. That said, no matter what appliance you use to reheat spinach, make sure it is heated slowly and not at high power in the microwave or oven.
Notice: While it is safe to do so, keep in mind that the nutrient content of most foods deteriorates with cooking and decreases even further with additional reheating. However, wasting food — whether by throwing it away or by overeating it — isn’t good for everyone either.
Be careful when storing potatoes
What not to reheat – this is what it looks like with potatoes (similar to rice and pasta). The problem with reheating potatoes isn’t the reheating itself, it’s how you store them after they’ve been cooked.
If you keep potatoes at room temperature for more than two hours, Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium that causes botulism, can develop, especially if the potatoes are wrapped in an airtight container or in foil.
Botulism is a severe form of food poisoning. Although it occurs rarely, its mortality rate among those affected is high. Signs of botulism include blurred or double vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, weakness, difficulty swallowing and breathing,
To avoid food poisoning, we recommend that you bake the potatoes on a baking tray and cool them as soon as possible after cooking, so you can immediately put them in the fridge and eat them within a maximum of two days.
We also advise you to clean the potatoes before cooking. Improperly cleaned potatoes often lead to food poisoning. Pay particular attention to the places where dirt and bacteria can accumulate and multiply after the cooking process.
Moldy foods: which ones are safe to eat and which ones shouldn’t be eaten under any circumstances? Find out here!
What do not warm up – mushrooms are not suitable for this
Although the microwave or oven are extremely handy for reheating food, there are some foods they are not well suited for and one of them is mushrooms. What is the reason for that?
Food experts warn that mushrooms’ complex enzymes and proteins break down if not quickly chilled after cooking. This makes them particularly susceptible to dangerous bacteria, the growth of which can be promoted by reheating.
Therefore, the same rule applies to mushrooms as to rice, pasta and potatoes – cooked mushrooms should not be left at room temperature for more than two hours before going into the fridge. Store in an airtight container and consume within the next 24 hours.
A notice: Do not heat the mushrooms above 70 degrees Celsius.
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Properly reheating the chicken is not an elementary task
Technically, reheating chicken is fine. However, you should make sure that every part of the chicken has reached a temperature of at least 80 degrees Celsius to ensure that any dangerous bacteria it may contain are killed. The only way to do this is to use a cooking thermometer. You should also ensure that the cooked chicken is kept below 5 degrees Celsius in case you plan to reheat it.
A notice: Throw away chicken that has been in the fridge for more than three days!
Do you have to wash the meat? – You can find tips on the correct handling of raw food before cooking and heat treatment here!
Eggs should not be left for more than two hours
What not to reheat – You should never leave eggs or dishes containing eggs out of the fridge for more than two hours, or more than one hour in hot weather. Bacteria like salmonella can multiply quickly in them if you reheat them and cause serious food poisoning.
A notice: However, if your plate of scrambled eggs has cooled by the time you spread the toast, it’s fine to microwave for a minute or two.
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