When dining out with friends or family gatherings, it's inevitable to eat at restaurants. To avoid waste, many people pack up their leftover meals. While frugality is a traditional virtue, there are a few small details to pay attention to when packing food.
1. Pack leftovers separately
When packing leftovers, be sure to ask the server to separate them. At home, store them separately in clean, airtight containers. This is because different foods have different microbial growth rates, and storing them separately can prevent cross-contamination.
2. Let food cool completely before refrigerating
This is because putting hot food directly into a low-temperature environment can cause the center of the food to spoil. Additionally, the heat from the food will cause condensation, which promotes mold growth and can lead to spoilage of other food in the refrigerator.
3. Eat leftovers as soon as possible
Leftovers taken home should ideally be consumed within the same meal period—for example, leftovers from breakfast for lunch, and leftovers from lunch for dinner. It's best to eat them within 5-6 hours. While high temperatures of 100°C can kill most harmful bacteria in a few minutes, if food is stored for too long, bacteria can release chemical toxins that cannot be destroyed by reheating alone.
4. Reheat leftovers thoroughly
Food stored in the refrigerator must be reheated before eating. This is because refrigerator temperatures only slow bacterial growth, they don't kill the bacteria. Consuming unheated food can lead to illness, such as dysentery or diarrhea.
Before reheating, you can check the food for spoilage using your senses. If it looks, smells, or feels off, do not eat it. When reheating, ensure the food reaches at least 70°C.