Even if something tastes good the day you ate it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good the next day or even good for you the next day. The truth is, some of your leftovers could be making you sick.
Leftover Rules
As a general rule, if the texture of your food has changed, find something else to eat.
A layer of slimy film is a solid reason to toss the food.
If you’re still unsure about the status of your leftovers check the food’s texture. If food feels slimy or otherwise has a drastic texture change, then it is likely spoiled.
On big eating days like Thanksgiving, leftovers can pose the risk of exposing people to foodborne illnesses if they aren’t prepared or stored properly.
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People have a habit of leaving the food out on the buffet table long after the meal is finished.
As a general rule, if turkey, stuffing, or gravy is left out at room temperature (40 to 140°F) for over 2 hours it may no longer be safe to eat.
1. Potatoes
To put it bluntly, reheating leftover potatoes could make you sick.
As the Independent reported, the issue with reheating potatoes isn’t actually the process of warming them in the microwave or oven. If cooked potatoes are left to cool at room temperature for too long, the bacteria that causes botulism may form. This is actually made more likely if the potatoes are wrapped tightly in foil.
2. Scrambled Eggs/Casserole
If your plate of scrambled eggs is cold by the time you butter your toast, it’s fine to pop it in the microwave for a minute or two. However, the Food and Drug Administration advised that reheating eggs that have been sitting around for even a short while can be dangerous.
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According to the FDA, you should never leave eggs or dishes containing eggs out of the refrigerator for more than two hours or more than one hour in hot weather. This means that it’s definitely not okay to reheat a casserole that was left out for serving at a party or a slice of quiche brought home from a restaurant. Bacteria such as salmonella can multiply rapidly in egg dishes and lead to serious food poisoning.
Have you ever brought home leftovers from a Chinese restaurant to enjoy the next day?
If you included rice in your take-home container, you may want to reconsider.
3. Seafood
Most of us like a little seafood every now and again, but beware when you try to reheat it. According to the FDA, fresh seafood that was caught and immediately frozen should be safe to reheat. However, fresh or cooked seafood that has spent any time at room temperature might be harboring bacteria that can cause foodborne illness. Reheating may not kill these bacteria, and it can be hard to know how seafood was previously stored if you are buying it fresh.
The FDA also recommended that seafood should be
