So, to have a healthy and enjoyable first few days of the year, learn how to safely preserve and reheat leftovers.
To do so, we must start from the first step - cooking. Here are some things you need to keep in mind when cooking.
Tet is the season of parties and eating. Certainly, excess food cannot be avoided
Cook thoroughly: Be sure to cook meat thoroughly to eliminate harmful bacteria that can cause food poisoning. Particularly for ground meat and poultry, it is necessary to cook more thoroughly than beef, pork, lamb and veal, according to the health news site. Medical Daily.
Keep food safe: Find ways to keep food temperatures at 60°C or above or 4°C or below to prevent spoilage.
Quick cooling: Rapidly cool food to 4°C or below to prevent bacterial growth. To cool quickly, divide food into shallow containers and divide large items into small portions before storing in the refrigerator.
When should I throw it away?
Hot food needs to be refrigerated within 2 hours after cooking. Leftover food, especially perishable items, if left at room temperature for more than 2 hours must be thrown away. Medical Daily.
Safe ways to store leftovers: Wrap leftovers and store in an airtight container to keep out harmful bacteria and retain moisture. Seal in sealed packages to prevent odors from entering the refrigerator.
Leftovers can be safely used within 3-4 days if stored in the refrigerator
Safe ways to defrost leftovers
Frozen leftovers can be thawed in the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave. Defrosting in the refrigerator takes the longest but is safe throughout the entire process. Food thawed in the refrigerator should be used within 3-4 days.
Defrosting with cold water will be faster, but after defrosting, the food must be cooked immediately and then refrozen if necessary.
Defrosting in the microwave is the fastest method, but food must be heated until it reaches 74°C. Food defrosted in the microwave at this temperature can be refrozen.
You also need to check regularly to clean the refrigerator
However, after removing from the freezer, if left over food is left at room temperature for more than 2 hours, it is best to throw it away, according to Medical Daily.
Safe way to reheat leftovers
While reheating leftovers, make sure to reheat thoroughly. If there is water, it must boil evenly. Cover leftovers when reheating to retain moisture and ensure thorough heating.
How long can leftovers be stored?
Leftovers can be safely used within 3-4 days if stored in the refrigerator. After this time, the risk of food poisoning due to bacteria increases. Bacteria may not change the smell, taste or appearance of food. Therefore, it is best to throw away the food if you are unsure about its safety.
