Leftovers are a convenient solution for reducing food waste and saving time in the kitchen. But not all leftover foods are safe after sitting in the fridge for a while. In fact, certain leftovers can be hotbeds of bacteria and pose serious health risks if they aren’t handled and reheated properly. Let’s take a look at 11 common leftovers that have the potential to make you sick, and cover proper food safety and storage practices:
1. Eggs
2. Beets
While beets offer many health benefits, reheating them incorrectly can actually create carcinogenic compounds – which are bad for you.2 Nitric oxide in beets does not react well with heat, and can potentially create harmful nitrosamines. So maybe stick to chilled leftovers.
3. Potatoes
Despite their reputation as ‘the everything food’, potatoes can play host to clostridium botulinum (a neurotoxin – yes that’s very bad) if left to cool and stored improperly. Baked potatoes wrapped in foil are in an oxygen-deprived environment, which is ideal for bacterial growth. Be mindful of how you store and reheat your potatoes.
4. Spinach
Spinach contains nitrates that can convert into nitrosamines when leftovers are reheated improperly (and can also cause spinach mouth). Nitrosamines pose significant cancer risks (which again, are bad). Infants are particularly vulnerable to nitrite exposure due to their systems being not yet fully developed.
5. Breast Milk
Breast milk has excellent nutritional value, but can become a breeding ground for bacteria if warmed incorrectly. In fact, Dr. Shelke actually advises against reheating breast milk, as it can harbor bacteria from an infant’s saliva, potentially causing digestive distress. If it’s been used once already, let it go.
6. Rice
Leftover rice can make a great stir fry, but is also a hotbed for bacillus cereus, a bacteria that multiplies rapidly at room temperature.3 Proper refrigeration within two hours of cooking is necessary to prevent both bacterial growth and any foodborne illnesses.
7. Chicken
Raw chicken is the poster child of salmonella contamination, and it cannot be overstated how important it is to cook and reheat chicken thoroughly. You should also be mindful of prompt refrigeration afterward to avoid bacterial contamination in your chicken leftovers.
8. Cold-Pressed Oils
Omega-3-rich oils like flaxseed and olive oil are sensitive to heat and can become rancid when reheated. Dishes that have these oils in them may have their nutritional integrity compromised, according to Dr. Shelke. So if you’re cooking with these types of oils, try and make sure the serving size will feed you in 2 meals, a maximum 3.
9. Oily Foods
Oily foods like French fries can produce harmful fumes and degrade the quality of the oil if reheated in the microwave. A safer method is to reheat oily leftovers in the oven or in the pan to minimize health risks.
10. Buffet Food
Buffets in general are a risky place when it comes to food safety. The food trays often fail to maintain proper food temperatures, allowing microbes to grow and multiply. Even at home gatherings, buffet foods should be quickly refrigerated after guests are done eating to prevent bacterial growth and foodborne illness.
11. Seafood
