How to Keep Your Leftover Food Safe From Bacteria

Foodborne bacteria can multiply rapidly and cause illness if not properly handled. Here are some tips to keep your leftover food safe from bacteria:

1. Cool food quickly: After cooking, cool your food as quickly as possible, ideally within 2 hours. You can do this by dividing large pots of food into smaller containers and placing them in a cold water bath, stirring frequently. Never leave food out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

2. Refrigerate leftovers: Refrigerate any leftover food within 2 hours of cooking.Leftover food should be stored in shallow, covered containers to allow for quick, even cooling.

3. Reheat thoroughly: Reheat leftover food to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celcius) before eating. You can reheat food in the oven, microwave, or on the stovetop.

4. Keep hot food hot: Keep hot food hot (140 degrees Fahrenheit or above) until ready to serve.

5. Discard unsafe food: Discard any food that has been left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or that has been reheated more than once.

6. Clean: Wash your hands, cutting boards, utensils, and countertops with hot, soapy water before and after handling raw meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs.

7. Use airtight containers: When storing leftover food, use airtight containers to prevent contamination from other foods or bacteria in the refrigerator.

8. Date Leftovers: Label and date all leftovers so you know how long they've been in the fridge. This will help you avoid eating food that's gone bad.

9. Follow storage guidelines: Follow the storage guidelines on food packages for best practices on storing specific foods.

10. Use sensory evaluation: Check the appearance, smell, and taste of leftover food before consuming. If there are any signs of spoilage, discard the food.