WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING TO MY THANKSGIVING LEFTOVERS...
As many are staring at their Thanksgiving leftovers sitting in the fridge, it made us realize, do you know what’s really happening in those containers?
It’s common knowledge that if meat and dairy products are left out for too long bacteria could grow and therefore make us sick, but people seem to disregard other proteins, carb-rich foods, and fruits and vegetables, all of which are just as harmful, if not more.
Welcome to the Temperature Danger Zone
The Temperature Danger Zone is a range of temperatures where bacteria thrives and can grow to threatening levels in food if it lingers for too long. According to the USDA, if food is infected by bacteria, and is left between 40F and 140F for over 2 hours, bacteria will rapidly multiply. Many bacteria that are of concern include: Salmonella aureus, Salmonella enteritidis, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Campylobacter.
You’re probably wondering why you haven’t gotten sick even though you’ve eaten leftovers from Uncle Bob’s that should definitely be contaminated according to the above. Here’s the catch - if your food is contaminated, and only if, then the bacteria can multiply; however, if the food is not contaminated to begin with you won’t get infected because there is nothing to infect you.
So, How Could the Food You’re Buying Possibly be Contaminated?
Well, there are many stages that food goes through during processing, packaging and transportation, all potentially leading to contamination. Even if the food is totally bacteria-free once you purchase it, your cousin could have brought it back home and sliced or diced it on the same counter their cat walked on just 15 minutes prior. Likely, if it is kept in a fridge, the bacteria won’t reproduce because it doesn’t like the cold, but if the contaminated food is left in the Temperature Danger Zone and the bacteria multiply, odds are favorable that you’ll get sick during or after the meal.
The good news is that a lot of the power is in your hands when it comes to making sure the food you’re serving is safe to consume. First off, you can make sure that between picking the food up and preparing it the food stays out of the temperature danger zone. This means, don’t leave the ingredients in your car for more than two hours before getting it into the fridge. Next, once you are ready to prepare the food make sure you wash your hands and ensure your equipment is clean. Finally, keep your food in the fridge until you are ready to serve it or, if you’re headed to a potluck, pack it in a cooler with ice if it will be more than 2 hours.
The Freezer is Your Friend!
All in all, if your mom sent you home with more Thanksgiving leftovers than you could possibly consume, you can always freeze some items too. Google is your best friend to see which foods will stand up to being frozen then defrosted, and it’s a great way to safely extend their shelf life.