You open up your fridge on a regular basis — out of starvation, boredom or just a necessity to seek out one thing to prepare dinner for dinner. As nice as it’s to have meals standing by everytime you want it, there are additionally risks lurking in that chilly equipment. Is there micro organism brewing in three-day-old cooked rice? Or on the recent salad greens? Or perhaps that uncooked rooster that’s dripping in all places?
We talked to consultants in regards to the meals that may pose the best hazard to well being. First, it’s vital to know your stage of danger. “The truth is, all food can potentially cause food poisoning,” stated Dr. Daniel Atkinson, medical lead at Handled.com, an internet well being care service firm. “Food that’s been left out too long, has been kept in the fridge past its use-by date or leftovers that aren’t reheated properly can all be contaminated with harmful bacteria.”
Watch out with high-protein meals, recent greens and cooked rice.
There are basic classes of meals that deserve additional care of their storage. If you happen to’re searching for the almost certainly culprits, “Think of those high-protein foods that pathogens love, like meat, fish, milk, cheese and eggs,” stated Matt Taylor, senior supervisor of meals consulting on the Nationwide Sanitation Basis, a nonprofit group that develops and certifies requirements for meals security and sanitation. His view was echoed by consulting meals scientist Bryan Quoc Le, who pointed to different high-protein culprits like Mexican mushy cheese, smoked fish and unpasteurized milk.
One other concern is what’s referred to as “ready to eat” meat or poultry, which incorporates deli meats sliced on the counter, stated College of Connecticut affiliate professor Dennis D’Amico, whose experience contains meals microbiology and security. He additionally stated that pathogens can contaminate recent produce, together with mushrooms, leafy inexperienced prepackaged salads and sprouts. “Most fresh produce should be washed and scrubbed with a produce brush at home,” he stated. “Just remember to clean and sanitize the scrubbing brush.”
One other doable hazard is available in cooked rice, which Atkinson defined: “Before it’s even cooked, rice can contain spores of a bacteria known as Bacillus cereus,” he stated. “This bacteria can still pose a threat after rice has been cooked, and the risk of becoming ill from eating it is much higher if cooked rice isn’t handled the right way.” He warned that rice ought to by no means sit out on a countertop at room temperature. “Refrigerate rice as soon as it’s cooled down, and eat it within 24 hours. One misconception might be that rice that’s unsafe to eat will show visible signs of being off, such as being moldy or having an unusual smell. But this might not always be the case.”
And, he stated, it’s good to be simply as cautious with takeout rice, which could have much more potential to do hurt. “Additives and spices in fast-food rice might mask signs that it needs discarding, and there’s no way of knowing how long it was stored before being cooked to order,” he stated. “For this reason, you should probably avoid putting it in your refrigerator altogether and toss it out when the meal is over.”
Sight and odor can’t at all times prevent (nor can refrigeration).
If you happen to suppose you’ll be capable of use your senses to uncover meals risks, that won’t essentially be the case, the consultants stated. “Don’t believe that if it smells good, it’s safe to eat,” stated registered dietitian Tracee Yablon Brenner. “Actually, a good deal of harmful bacteria, such as salmonella and listeria, don’t influence the smell, taste or appearance of food. Bacteria that’s spoiled might make some food smell terrible, but bacteria also can flourish unnoticed.”
Aleksandr Zubkov by way of Getty Pictures
As useful as refrigeration is, it’s not foolproof, stated Jason Reese, an lawyer who makes a speciality of foodborne diseases and private harm. “One of the biggest misconceptions I’ve seen is the belief that cold temperatures and refrigeration completely stop the growth of bacteria,” he stated. “While it can slow growth, it doesn’t totally eliminate it, especially for dangerous pathogens, including listeria.”
Nonetheless, protecting your fridge on the correct temperature is essential. “Higher refrigerator temperatures can facilitate pathogen growth, which increases the risk of illness and more serious complications,” D’Amico stated. “The preferred refrigeration temperature is 2° to 4° Celsius (35.6° to 39.2° Fahrenheit), but studies have shown that average consumer refrigerator temperature is closer to 7° C (44.6° F).”
Lazy errors it’s best to cease making.
If you happen to’re within the behavior of tossing a half-eaten bowl or can of meals instantly into the fridge, you might need to rethink that, Le stated. “Uncovered foods can easily incubate and spread microorganisms, as the air in the refrigerator is constantly moving and can transport spores around to other foods.”
If you happen to’ve served a meal and are having fun with simply sitting across the desk afterward, don’t neglect that meals must be refrigerated rapidly, stated Mitzi Baum, CEO of the nonprofit Cease Foodborne Sickness. “Bacteria are always on the move and can grow in perishable foods like meat, eggs, salads, cut fruit and casseroles within as little as two hours,” she stated.
And for those who occur to listen to one thing on the information a few meals recall, don’t ignore it. “Take recalls seriously,” she added. “When a product is recalled, consumers should act quickly to remove it from their homes.”
Give your self permission to waste meals.
“If you aren’t sure how long food has been in the fridge, throw it away,” Taylor stated. However to stop future meals waste, he had this useful thought: “Keep a roll of painter’s tape and a permanent marker in your kitchen, so you can easily label items with names and dates when you store them. Always review food labels for expiration and ‘best by’ dates, as well as serving and safe storage directions.”
“If you’re serious about avoiding getting sick from the food you eat, it always makes sense to make practical decisions,” Atkinson stated. “The old adage ‘if in doubt, throw it out’ is a solid rule of thumb when it comes to food safety, and while it might feel wasteful at times to throw out food that’s suspect, you’ll feel better knowing you’re taking fewer risks.”
