Reheating leftover food can be convenient, but sometimes it can be risky. While it may be tempting to save food for later, there are certain dishes that should never be reheated due to food safety concerns.
After a large meal, it’s common to have leftover food, which seems like a waste to throw away. In some cases, reheating food can even make it healthier, but there are times when reheating can lead to food poisoning. If you’ve ever experienced food poisoning, you know the discomfort caused by nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps—it’s definitely not worth the risk of reheating food.
In the UK alone, about a million people suffer from food poisoning every year, with half of those cases occurring due to home-cooked meals. Tragically, a hundred people, usually very young or elderly, die from the consequences of foodborne illnesses annually.
Food poisoning is typically caused by bacteria that infect food. The most common culprit is Campylobacter, which is present in up to 65% of chicken available in the UK. Some studies have found it on as many as 6% of chickens bought in supermarkets.
Campylobacter can survive for several hours on kitchen surfaces, making it easy to spread. It only takes a small amount of this bacteria to make you sick. For instance, you’d need to consume tens of thousands of Salmonella bacteria to become ill, but just around 500 Campylobacter bacteria can land you in the hospital.
Since Campylobacter is so widespread in chicken, it’s important not to make the common mistake of washing chicken before cooking. It’s safer to place the chicken directly into the oven and then wash your hands thoroughly. High temperatures are the most effective way to kill bacteria, so be sure to cook and roast foods thoroughly, especially chicken, as it has tender meat where bacteria can easily hide.
Once your meal is cooked and you have leftovers, it’s crucial to let the food cool down completely before refrigerating it. If you put hot food straight into the fridge, you’ll raise the temperature inside, creating a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. These bacteria can spread to other foods in the fridge.
Make sure to cover the food, let it cool at room temperature for no more than four hours, and then store it in the fridge.
When it comes to reheating cooked food, it’s safe to do so a few times, though some experts recommend reheating only once. The key to safe reheating is making sure the food is heated all the way through. Most people use a microwave, but microwaves often don’t heat food evenly, leaving cold spots where bacteria can thrive.
If you use a microwave (or a conventional oven), it’s crucial to stir the food halfway through the reheating process to ensure even heating.
Some foods are particularly risky when reheated. Here’s a list of food items you should avoid reheating:
- Cooked meats or dishes containing meat, such as meat pies or lasagna
- Sauces that contain cream or milk
- Seafood, including dishes with any traces of fish, such as stews or sauces
- Cooked rice or pasta
- Spinach
- Dishes containing eggs, nuts, and other protein-rich ingredients like omelets or soy-based products
However, if you do need to reheat rice, ensure it’s been stored properly in the fridge after cooling down, as rice can contain bacteria that, despite being destroyed by heat, form spores that are toxic and heat-resistant.
Remember, while reheating rice is possible, it should only be done if it was stored correctly in a cool place immediately after cooling down.
