People who work often bring their own lunches to save time, and these lunches are usually prepared the day before. Food safety is very important, so be careful with these five types of overnight dishes. Recently, the claim that "overnight dishes cause cancer" has been all over the news. So, is there any truth to this claim?
"Overnight dishes" don't just refer to food that has been left for a whole night. If food has been left for more than 8-10 hours, it should be considered as such. There are two reasons why toxic components in food increase. First, chemical substances in the food can produce carcinogens, such as nitrites, which cannot be removed even by reheating. The second reason is secondary contamination from external bacteria during storage. The following dishes are particularly harmful when left for a long time.
Green leafy vegetables are the most dangerous overnight.
Generally, stem and leafy vegetables have the highest nitrate content, followed by gourds, with root and stem vegetables and cauliflower-type vegetables in the middle. Therefore, if you buy a large amount of vegetables at once, you should eat the leafy varieties first, such as Chinese cabbage and spinach. If you plan to cook extra food to reheat the next day, try to make less of the stem and leafy vegetables and choose gourds instead.
Overnight seafood can damage the liver and kidneys.
Seafood such as crabs, fish, and shrimp can produce protein degradation products overnight, which can damage liver and kidney function. If you have bought too much, you can pack the raw seafood in a fresh-keeping bag or container and freeze it in the refrigerator to cook later.
Undercooked eggs can easily cause illness.
Many people love soft, undercooked eggs with runny yolks. However, these eggs are not thoroughly sterilized. Combined with their rich nutritional content, they are particularly prone to bacterial growth, which can be dangerous after consumption. If the eggs are fully cooked and stored properly in a sealed container at a low temperature, it is fine to eat them the next day.
Be careful with silver ear fungus and mushrooms.
Whether wild or cultivated, silver ear fungus and mushrooms tend to retain a lot of nitrates. If they have been stored for a really long time, you have to bite the bullet and throw them away.
Don't store soup in metal containers.
Making soup is time-consuming and labor-intensive, so people often make a large pot and eat it for several days. If leftover soup is kept in an aluminum or iron pot for a long time, harmful substances can leach out. The best way to store soup is to not add salt or other seasonings. After cooking, use a clean spoon to scoop out the portion for the day. For the leftovers, it is best to store them in a clay pot or a food container in the refrigerator.