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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – This is the time of year when the refrigerator is bursting with food. We buy too much, we cook too much, and we eat too much. Massive Thanksgiving meals leave a lot of leftovers in their wake. This is also the time of year when hospitals gear up for an uptick in foodborne illness. A staggering number of Americans get ill during the Thanksgiving holiday – more than a half million cases every year.
But we all love leftovers. Why? It is actually due to chemistry. When cooked food is held chemical reactions continue that produce more enhanced or new flavors. When leftovers are reheated even more new flavor molecules are released because of the interaction of protein and sugar in food. That is why leftover hot turkey sandwiches taste so good and that second piece of pumpkin pie on Friday is even better than the first.
To savor foods safely the second time around we need to take precautions. First, refrigerate leftovers when dinner is done. No matter how tempting it is to watch the game or linger over a cup of coffee, room temperature foods are an incubator for bacteria. Debone the turkey. The carcass harbors the most bacteria.
Don’t stuff the refrigerator. Cold air needs to circulate to keep the temperature constant and low enough to keep foods safe. If you have more food than you can safely store, send some home with guests. They’ll enjoy a second Thanksgiving meal as much as you do. Use a picnic cooler for beverages to free up some space in the fridge. And, even if it is snowing, the garage shouldn’t be used to keep foods cold. Bacteria can be present in leftovers even when they look and smell fine. Don’t taste or sniff. It is a good way to get sick.
How long should you keep leftovers? That depends on the type of food and the temperature at which they are held. You can freeze cooked turkey, gravy and many side dishes. Acidic foods like tomato sauce and cranberry relish will last longer than foods with a higher pH, above 4.6, like meat. If you won’t be eating leftovers within 4 days, freeze or discard.
When you eat and reheat leftovers keep basic kitchen safety in mind to avoid cross contamination. Knives are one of the biggest culprits for spreading bacteria or mold from food to food. If you use a knife and cutting board to carve up leftover turkey, use a clean knife and cutting board to prepare salad, vegetables or slice bread. Never place cooked food in a dish or platter that previously held raw food – even vegetables; remember they grew in dirt.
If gravy is made from pan drippings, be sure to heat it to a rolling boil before serving it a second time. Though it is simple and easy to pop leftovers in the microwave, heating can be uneven. Make sure the entire dish is piping hot before serving. It is wise to check a reheated dish with a food thermometer. The USDA recommends heating leftovers to 165o F.
A great deal of food we buy is discarded uneaten and we are all being encouraged to cut down on food waste. With a little planning leftovers can be safely eaten and enjoyed – store them properly, eat them within a few days, or share them with friends and neighbors. The last option should be to throw food out.
Bottom line: For food safety:
2 hours – the time food can safely stay a room temperature before it needs to be refrigerated or frozen.
2 inches – the depth of food in a pan so it can cool down quickly in the fridge. If necessary store in multiple shallow pans to speed chilling and recombine the food into a larger batch when cold.
4 days – the safe amount of time you can keep leftovers in the fridge. The exception to the 4 day rule is stuffing and gravy which should be used or discarded in 2 days.
0 seconds – food that falls on the floor should not be eaten. The 5-second rule is a myth. As soon as food touches a dirty surface it can pick up bacteria. If you drop it, dump it.
© NRH Nutrition Consultants, Inc.
Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian and the author of 30 books. Available as eBooks from iTunes and Amazon Kindle:
Diabetes Counter
Calorie Counter
Protein Counter
Healthy Wholefoods Counter
Complete Food Counter
Fat and Cholesterol Counter
Available in print from Gallery Books:
Most Complete Food Counter, 3rd ed.
Your Complete Food Counter App: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/your-complete-food-counter/id444558777?mt=8
For more information on Jo-Ann and her books, go to: www.TheNutritionExperts.com.
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