New Delhi. It is common to have leftover food at home. Many times some part of dinner is kept for the morning. In such a situation, most people cover the leftover food and keep it in the kitchen and think of heating it and eating it the next day. Some people think that if the food is covered then it will remain safe throughout the night. But doing so is not always considered right from food safety point of view. Especially cooked food can spoil if left at room temperature for a long time and eating it can cause health problems.
As a general rule of thumb for food safety, perishable food should not be left at room temperature for more than two hours. If the environmental temperature is more than 32 degrees Celsius then this time further reduces to about one hour. So leaving dinner out until the morning in hot weather can be especially risky.
The main reason for this is the ability of bacteria to grow rapidly. Temperatures between about 4 °C to 60 °C are considered favorable for the growth of bacteria. This temperature range is often called the danger zone. The longer cooked food remains in this range, the greater the possibility of growth of harmful microorganisms in it. It is important to take special care in case of meat, chicken, eggs, dairy products and other perishable food items.
Here comes another common mistake. Many people avoid keeping hot food in the refrigerator and leave it in the kitchen until it cools completely. But waiting for hours for food to cool is also not a safe method. Especially when a large quantity of food is kept in a deep vessel, its interior can remain hot for a long time and become a favorable environment for bacteria.
If there is a large amount of food left, then distributing it in small and shallow utensils can be a better way. This cools the food quickly and can be kept in the refrigerator on time. Temperature also plays an important role in keeping food safe over time. So it is not enough just to see whether the food looks or smells good.
Special caution is necessary in summer because food can spoil quickly in high temperatures. If the room temperature is above 32 degrees Celsius, it is not considered appropriate to keep perishable food outside for more than an hour. In such a situation, if the leftover food from the night is left outside for a long time, then caution should be taken before eating it the next day.
Therefore, the most important thing when there is food left in the house is to keep it at a safe temperature in time. It is better to cool the food properly and keep it in the refrigerator instead of leaving it out for a long time. Especially in hot weather, remembering the two-hour rule can be a simple and important habit for keeping food safe.