Does your family have the same lifestyle habit of "eating without suffering"?
2024-08-16
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It is common to hear some young people complain about the older generation on the Internet about "having to eat without suffering". Such behaviors include but are not limited to: buying fruits and leaving the good ones behind, eating the rotten ones first; not wanting to throw away leftovers, eating them all or leaving them until the next day to heat them up and eat again...
When faced with some elderly people who "don't listen to advice", the younger generations are often puzzled and helpless. Especially when it comes to issues such as overnight food that involve physical health, the younger generation can't help but get angry and anxious. Can overnight food be eaten? Which dishes should be thrown away without hesitation? Which foods can be saved for the next meal? How to deal with overnight food scientifically? Experts from the Department of Gastroenterology at Changsha Fourth Hospital are here to answer.
Overnight food generally refers to food that has been left overnight (8-12 hours). But in a broader sense, as long as the storage time of food exceeds a certain limit, so that it may deteriorate, lose nutrients or breed bacteria during storage, it can be regarded as overnight food.
What are the safety risks of overnight food?
Bacterial growth: If food is not properly stored after cooking, it will become a breeding ground for bacteria. Bacteria will multiply rapidly under suitable temperature and humidity conditions. Common pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, Escherichia coli, etc. may cause food poisoning, causing symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fever.
Nitrite production: Some vegetables (such as leafy vegetables) contain nitrates, which are reduced to nitrites by bacteria. Nitrite is a harmful substance. Excessive intake may affect the oxygen-carrying capacity of human hemoglobin and may even induce cancer in severe cases. However, nitrite will only cause harm to the human body when the content reaches a certain level.
Nutritional loss: When food is stored for a long time, the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients in it will gradually be lost, resulting in a decrease in the nutritional value of the food.
Which overnight foods can be eaten and which cannot be eaten?
1. Overnight food that can be eaten
Meat: If cooked meat is sealed and stored in the refrigerator, it can be eaten after being thoroughly heated the next day. However, it is not recommended to eat it if it is stored for too long.
Rice: Uncontaminated rice can be eaten after being refrigerated and heated thoroughly the next day.
Soups: If the soup is not stirred with chopsticks, spoons, etc. after cooking, seal it and refrigerate it directly. It can still be eaten after heating and boiling the next day.
2. Overnight food is not recommended
Green leafy vegetables: Green leafy vegetables have high nitrate content and a greater risk of increased nitrite content after being left overnight, and there is severe nutrient loss, so they are not recommended for consumption.
Seafood: Seafood is prone to breed bacteria and produce protein degradation products. Eating it overnight can easily cause food poisoning and allergic reactions.
Cold dishes: Cold dishes are not sterilized at high temperatures during the production process and are easily contaminated by bacteria during storage, and should not be eaten after being left overnight.
Soaked black fungus, white fungus, fermented rice flour, and starch products: They are easily contaminated by Pseudomonas cocovenenans, which produce thermostable fumonisin toxins at room temperature. Once the toxins enter the human body, they can cause abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and other symptoms. Excessive intake can also lead to multiple organ failure or even death.
How to properly store overnight food?
Refrigerate as soon as possible: After the food is cooked, it should be placed in the refrigerator within 2 hours and the temperature should be controlled below 4°C. If it needs to be stored for a long time (more than 2 days), it can be placed in the freezer.
Sealed storage: Place food in sealed containers or wrap it with plastic wrap to prevent food from coming into contact with air, reducing bacterial contamination and moisture loss.
Classified storage: Raw and cooked food should be stored separately to avoid cross contamination.
How to heat up overnight food after taking it out of the refrigerator?
Reheat thoroughly: Reheat overnight food until the core temperature reaches above 70°C for 2-3 minutes to kill any bacteria and viruses that may be present.
Even heating: For soups and porridge, stir them evenly before heating to ensure that the food is heated evenly. (Reporter Feng Mengyun)
