The harm of leftovers for a few hours

Leftovers are inevitable in normal times. Although refrigerators are now a necessity in every home, some foods will not last too long even if stored in the refrigerator. Some foods cannot be stored in the refrigerator. In daily life, try to eat less leftovers. Leftovers are harmful to human health and may cause poisoning. For the sake of your health, try not to have leftovers.

What are the hazards of leftovers? After how many hours can they no longer be eaten?

Leftovers should be stored for as long as they are not left over from other meals. Eat leftovers from breakfast at lunch, or eat leftovers from lunch at dinner. Try to finish them within 5 to 6 hours. It is best not to eat overnight food.

According to scientific measurements, some overnight vegetables, especially overnight green leafy vegetables, not only have low nutritional value, but also produce pathogenic nitrites. The amount of nitrite produced in stored vegetables increases with the extension of storage time and the increase of temperature. However, if the vegetables are refrigerated in the refrigerator (2-6 degrees Celsius), the increase of nitrite will be less.

It is winter now, and some families think that because the weather is cold, leftovers do not need to be refrigerated. This view is also wrong. Nowadays, the widespread use of refrigerators in cities has reduced the amount of nitrite people ingest from food, but this does not mean that you can put vegetables in the refrigerator without any worries; over time, the nitrite content will still increase.

The dangers of eating leftovers

1. Leftover vegetables produce deadly nitrites

Some overnight vegetables, especially overnight green leafy vegetables, not only have low nutritional value, but also produce pathogenic nitrites. The amount of nitrite produced in stored vegetables increases with the extension of storage time and the increase of temperature. However, if the vegetables are refrigerated in the refrigerator (2-6 degrees Celsius), the increase of nitrite will be less.

Some high-protein and high-fat leftovers are even more inedible. Harmful bacteria in the air will attach to leftovers and begin to multiply within 2 hours. As we all know, most proteins and fats will produce harmful substances under the action of bacteria, such as hydrogen sulfide, amines, phenols, etc. These substances are harmful to the human body.

If it is winter, some families think that the weather is cold and leftovers do not need to be refrigerated. This view is also wrong. Nowadays, the widespread use of refrigerators in cities has reduced the amount of nitrite people ingest from food, but this does not mean that you can put vegetables in the refrigerator without any worries; over time, the nitrite content will still increase.

2. Different types and parts of vegetables have different degrees of harm

The amount of nitrite produced by different types of vegetables under the same storage conditions is inconsistent. Usually, stem and leaf vegetables are the highest, melon vegetables are slightly lower, and root vegetables and cauliflowers are in the middle. Therefore, if you buy different kinds of vegetables at the same time, you should eat the stems and leaves first, such as cabbage, spinach, etc. If you plan to cook more dishes and eat them hot the next day, you should try to cook less stem and leaf vegetables and choose melon vegetables.

Special note: At room temperature, spinach, cauliflower, beans, cabbage, and green peppers produce more nitrite when stored until the next day. The nitrite in spinach far exceeds that in other vegetables. Foods that produce less nitrite include tomatoes, lettuce, leeks, zucchini, eggplant, garlic sprouts, carrots, and celery.