Egg-fried rice - commons.wikimedia.org We all know that when reheating food, we must make sure it is steaming hot all the way through. And, of course, we shouldn't heat up food more than once, i.e. for the third sitting.
These eight foods need special care. Eat some cold or dispose of them rather than heat them again.
Rice is a common leftover item, but it causes food poisoning after re-heating. Uncooked rice can contain spores of bacteria. When the rice is cooked, the spores can survive. Left standing at room temperature, the spores will multiply and may produce poisons that cause vomiting or diarrhoea. Reheating the rice won't get rid of these poisons. The longer you leave rice to stand in room temperature the more of a danger it poses to your health.
I've always been wary of cooked rice after learning about the dangers when I worked in catering. Many recipes tell you to cool the cooked grains flat on a tray to dry them out before frying so the grains don't stick together. Best to steer clear of any such procedures.
Eggs. Meals that contain eggs are generally fine to reheat as long as you make sure they're piping hot. But beware of reheating eggs if they're boiled or scrambled.
Often, rice comes dotted with egg, like special fried rice or egg-fried rice. I guess we should avoid this once it has cooled, especially after the food is delivered as take-away.
The nitrate in the following three items turns toxic when reheated.
Celery. The nitrate contents of the vegetable can be a problem if you heat it for the second time, as the heat can cause it to turn toxic. Beware reheating soups and stews containing celery.
Spinach. This leaf contains healthy nitrates which turn into toxic nitrites when reheated. Just ditch whatever is leftover.
Beetroot. Rich in nitrates, this purple root vegetable will give you stomach-ache, so eat it cold after cooking to avoid the risk.
I would never have guessed at the danger in reheated celery, spinach or beetroot.
The next two cause trouble with protein.
Mushrooms. Eat as soon as you prep with mushrooms. Your stomach will suffer because of the deterioration of the proteins in them.
My husband and I often slice the mushrooms hours before cooking. Better avoid pre-prepping.
Chicken. The protein composition changes when a cold chicken is heated for the second time after being kept in the fridge which can cause digestive problems. Make sure the inside is piping hot.
I guess it is better to eat cooked chicken cold or freeze it straight away.
Botulism in potatoes.
Potatoes. If these root vegetables are left to cool at room temperature and not refrigerated, conditions may be right for growth of botulism.
Wow! That's a surprise. I thought potatoes were pretty harmless. Potato salad springs to mind when it comes to food safety. Best to cool the cooked potato quickly and refrigerate as soon as possible.
Source: The Mirror.
Do you reheat food often?
These eight foods need special care. Eat some cold or dispose of them rather than heat them again.
Rice is a common leftover item, but it causes food poisoning after re-heating. Uncooked rice can contain spores of bacteria. When the rice is cooked, the spores can survive. Left standing at room temperature, the spores will multiply and may produce poisons that cause vomiting or diarrhoea. Reheating the rice won't get rid of these poisons. The longer you leave rice to stand in room temperature the more of a danger it poses to your health.
I've always been wary of cooked rice after learning about the dangers when I worked in catering. Many recipes tell you to cool the cooked grains flat on a tray to dry them out before frying so the grains don't stick together. Best to steer clear of any such procedures.
Eggs. Meals that contain eggs are generally fine to reheat as long as you make sure they're piping hot. But beware of reheating eggs if they're boiled or scrambled.
Often, rice comes dotted with egg, like special fried rice or egg-fried rice. I guess we should avoid this once it has cooled, especially after the food is delivered as take-away.
The nitrate in the following three items turns toxic when reheated.
Celery. The nitrate contents of the vegetable can be a problem if you heat it for the second time, as the heat can cause it to turn toxic. Beware reheating soups and stews containing celery.
Spinach. This leaf contains healthy nitrates which turn into toxic nitrites when reheated. Just ditch whatever is leftover.
Beetroot. Rich in nitrates, this purple root vegetable will give you stomach-ache, so eat it cold after cooking to avoid the risk.
I would never have guessed at the danger in reheated celery, spinach or beetroot.
The next two cause trouble with protein.
Mushrooms. Eat as soon as you prep with mushrooms. Your stomach will suffer because of the deterioration of the proteins in them.
My husband and I often slice the mushrooms hours before cooking. Better avoid pre-prepping.
Chicken. The protein composition changes when a cold chicken is heated for the second time after being kept in the fridge which can cause digestive problems. Make sure the inside is piping hot.
I guess it is better to eat cooked chicken cold or freeze it straight away.
Botulism in potatoes.
Potatoes. If these root vegetables are left to cool at room temperature and not refrigerated, conditions may be right for growth of botulism.
Wow! That's a surprise. I thought potatoes were pretty harmless. Potato salad springs to mind when it comes to food safety. Best to cool the cooked potato quickly and refrigerate as soon as possible.
Source: The Mirror.
Do you reheat food often?
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