Is it Safe to Eat Leftovers?

According to experts, the leftovers are safe to eat if we follow the 2-2-4 rule.

Here, the first 2 indicates that we should refrigerate leftover food within two hours of cooking. This is because at room temperature, that is at 68 degrees Fahrenheit, there is fast growth of bacteria. Hence, refrigerating leftover food, that is dropping its temperature be-low 40 degrees Fahrenheit slows down the bacterial growth.

The second 2 implies that we should store leftovers in a layer no more than 2 inches deep. This allows quick and even cooling, thus minimizing the bacterial growth.

Finally, the 4 in the rule indicates that we should eat the refrigerated leftovers within 4 days. This is because refrigeration just slows down the bacterial growth, it doesn’t completely halt their growth. Hence, after 4 days, the bacteria reach a threshold concentration, where they make the food bad enough to cause indigestion, food poisoning, etc.

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