Will Reheating Food Make It Safe If You Forget to Refrigerate It? (2024)

FAQs

Will Reheating Food Make It Safe If You Forget to Refrigerate It? ›

Reheating food may not make it safe. If food is left out too long, some bacteria, such as staphylococcus aureus (staph), can form a heat-resistant toxin that cooking can't destroy. One of the most common sources of staph bacteria is the human body.

For example, Staphylococcus aureus is everywhere—it's in us, on food, in the air, and all around. When perishable foods aren't stored at safe temps, staph bacteria grows rapidly and produces heat-stable toxins that CANNOT be destroyed by reheating (even at high temperatures).

Be sure to return any unused portion to the refrigerator within two hours to remain safe. After each reheating, leftovers will be safe in the fridge for an additional three to four days. Because the quality decreases each time food is reheated, it is best to reheat only the amount needed.

Myth: If you let food sit out more than 2 hours, you can make it safe by reheating it really hot. Fact: Some bacteria, such as staphylococcus (staph) and Bacillus cereus, produce toxins not destroyed by high cooking temperatures.

While almost all foods can be reheated numerous times, it is best practice to avoid reheating the same meal where possible. Each time food is cooled, stored and reheated, the likelihood of harmful bacteria multiplying increases.

TWO HOURS is the MAXIMUM time perishable foods should be at room temperature (ONE HOUR at temperatures 90 degrees F and higher). This INCLUDES the time they're on the table during your meal. Just ONE bacterium, doubling every 20 minutes, can grow to over 2,097,152 bacteria in 7 hours!

Improper food storage can lead to several problems, including bacteria and mold growth, food spoilage through natural decay, and even food waste, which costs billions of dollars annually worldwide.

Generally, it's best to put hot food and leftovers into the fridge within two hours of being cooked. After this time, bacteria can start to grow and transform your delicious meal into a bout of food poisoning waiting to happen.

If food has been hygienically prepared, cooled quickly after cooking (or reheating) and stored cold, reheating more than once should not increase the risk of illness. However, prolonged storage and repeated reheating will affect the taste, texture, and sometimes the nutritional quality of foods.

How long can leftover food be unrefrigerated? ›

The best plan is to put leftovers in the refrigerator right after your meal. Food that is sitting out for a party or picnic should be chilled after two hours at typical room temperature. If it's above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) or more, food should not sit out for more than one hour.

Cooked food can only stay in the temperature danger zone for so long before it becomes unsafe to eat. Havern explains: "The maximum amount of time perishable foods can [spend] in the danger zone is two hours. At two hours, the food must be consumed, stored correctly, or thrown away.

When reheating leftovers, be sure they reach 165° F as measured with a food thermometer. Reheat sauces, soups and gravies by bringing them to a rolling boil. Cover leftovers to reheat. This retains moisture and ensures that food will heat all the way through.

Reheating in the cycle can lead to higher irreversibility in feed water heaters due to the use of superheated steam with greater temperature differences in the regenerative process.

According to the FDA Food Code, all perishable foods that are opened or prepared should be thrown out after 7 days, maximum. No leftovers should survive in your fridge for longer than that. Some foods should be even be thrown away before the 7 day mark.

Reheating must be done rapidly, within 2 hours after being removed from refrigeration. Foods reheated in a microwave oven must be reheated so that all parts of the food reach a temperature of at least 165°F. The food must be stirred, covered, and allowed to stand covered for 2 minutes after reheating.

The best plan is to put leftovers in the refrigerator right after your meal. Food that is sitting out for a party or picnic should be chilled after two hours at typical room temperature. If it's above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) or more, food should not sit out for more than one hour.

Bacteria thrive in temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees and can double every 20 minutes in that “danger zone.” Based on that growth, scientists pinpointed two hours to be the maximum amount of time consumers can safely leave perishable food at room temperature.

The FDA recommends that all perishables left at room temperature for more than two hours be discarded. Bacteria grow most rapidly between 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4.4 degrees Celsius) and 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius), doubling in amount every 20 minutes.

It is permissible to hold hot food without temperature controls for up to four hours if the following conditions are met: Food must be held at 135 degrees Fahrenheit or higher before the food is removed from the temperature control. Label the food upon receipt with the time it must be discarded.