June 7th is World Food Safety Day – let us take a look at
leftovers in the fridge.
- Total Food Waste: In 2022,
the world wasted 1.05 billion tonnes of food. That is a billion meals a day.
- Economic Cost: According
to the UN World Food Programme, global food waste has an estimated economic
cost of about $1 trillion annually.
- Edible Food Wasted: 70% of
the food waste is perfectly edible.
- Household Waste: Most of
the world’s food waste comes from households. Out of the total food wasted in
2022, households were responsible for 631 million tonnes.
Eating leftovers is a great way to save time and money – and
fight food waste.
To make this a safe option, follow these simple steps to
reduce your risk of food poisoning and make the most of your meals.
Keep it cool
- Cool and cover leftovers and put
them in a fridge or freezer within 2 hours (see the 2-hour/4-hour rule below).
- Splitting leftovers into smaller
portions aids faster cooling, which prevent bacteria growth. It also helps with
portion control and meal planning.
- Always store leftovers at less
than 5 degrees Celsius and keep them separate from uncooked foods, such as raw
meat.
- Eat leftovers stored in the
fridge within 3 days. Cooked rice and pasta should be eaten within 2 days.
- Freeze leftovers for up to 3
months. Defrost in the fridge and use within 24 hours of defrosting.
- Throw away leftovers if they have
been out of the fridge for more than 4 hours.
- For opened canned food leftovers,
follow the manufacturer’s directions for storage and use and take the same
precautions as you would for fresh food.
Reheat to eat
- Always reheat leftovers to steaming hot (at least 60 degrees Celsius). Reheating leftovers kills harmful bacteria that may have grown since it was cooked.
- Stir microwaved food while heating to ensure it is hot all the way through.
- Never reheat rice and pasta more than once and make sure it is steaming hot.
- Take extra care with takeaway rice. It should be eaten soon after purchasing as some businesses may pre-cook rice and re-heat it before it is served.
The 2-hour/4-hour rule
Temperature control is very important to prevent harmful
bacteria from growing in certain types of food. Food poisoning bacteria grow
best between temperatures of 5 degrees Celsius and 60 degrees Celsius – also
known as the ‘temperature danger zone’.
To minimise your risk of food poisoning, follow the
2-hour/4-hour rule. If your leftover food has been out of the fridge for:
- less than 2 hours – use it now,
or put it back in the fridge for later
- between 2 and 4 hours – use it
now or throw it out, and
- after 4 hours, throw the food
out.