Food Safety Tips for Leftovers Many people enjoy eating leftovers from
holiday festivities, family gatherings or from dining out. However, leftovers
need to be properly handled. Here are some basic food safety tips to help keep
leftovers safe.
Handling leftovers
Before and after handling leftovers, wash your hands and sanitize all
utensils, dishes and work surfaces with a mild bleach solution (5 ml/1 tsp.
bleach per 750 ml/3 cups water).
Keep foods out of the danger zone, between 4°C (40°F) and 60°C (140°F) to
prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.
Throw away any cooked food left out for more than two hours.
Never rely on your nose, eyes or taste buds to judge the safety of food.
You cannot tell if food is contaminated by its look, smell or taste.
When in doubt, throw it out!
Cooling leftovers
Refrigerate all leftovers promptly in uncovered, shallow containers so they
cool quickly.
Very hot items can first be cooled at room temperature. Refrigerate once
steaming stops.
Leave the lid off or wrap loosely until the food is cooled to refrigeration
temperature.
Avoid overstocking the refrigerator to allow cool air to circulate freely.
Storing leftovers
Always use a clean container to hold the leftovers, or wrap the leftovers in
leak-proof plastic bags to prevent cross-contamination. Keep different types of
leftovers separate.
Eat refrigerated leftovers within 2 to 3 days, or freeze them for later use.
Date leftovers to help identify the contents and to ensure they are not stored
too long.
Defrosting leftovers
Thaw frozen leftovers in the refrigerator or in the microwave. Ensure food is
properly sealed.
Consume or cook the leftovers immediately after they have thawed.
Refrigerator
Place the container or platter on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator to
avoid leakage on other foods during thawing.
Microwave
Before defrosting, remove food from any packaging or containers not identified
as microwave-safe (such as plastic wrap, freezer cartons, and Styrofoam trays).
Only use containers and wraps that are labelled as microwave safe.
Use the defrost setting of your microwave and make sure leftovers are
completely defrosted before reheating.
Reheat leftovers immediately after defrosting. Don't re-freeze foods that
you've defrosted in the microwave.
Reheating leftovers
Reheat leftovers to a safe internal temperature of 74°C (165°F).
Use a digital food thermometer to check the temperature.
Bring gravies, soups and sauces to a full, rolling boil and stir during the
process.
Discard uneaten leftovers after they have been reheated.
Reheating in a microwave
Use only containers and plastic wrap designed for use in the microwave.
Loosen the lid or wrap to allow steam to escape.
Stop the microwave midway through reheating and stir the food so that the heat
is evenly distributed.
Rotate the plate several times during cooking if your microwave does not have
a rotating tray.
What the Government of Canada does to keep our food supply safe
The Government of Canada is committed to food safety.
Health Canada establishes regulations and standards relating to the safety and
nutritional quality of foods sold in Canada. Through inspection and enforcement
activities, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency verifies that food sold in
Canada meets Health Canada's requirements.