How many times can you reheat leftovers?
Just how many times can you reheat your leftover stir-fries or stews without putting yourself at risk of food poisoning? Science journalist and television presenter Michael Mosley answers the question in new SBS TV series, Trust Me I’m a Doctor.
“You can actually reheat your leftovers as many times as you like, as long as you make sure every morsel is piping hot all the way through,” Mosley told SBS.
The key is to ensure that you reheat food to at least 75 degrees Celsius, which you can only workout using a cooking thermometer.
However, even though you can technically reheat food as many times as you like, you can’t keep leftovers indefinitely.
“You can keep leftovers for two to three days in your fridge, as long as that fridge is at 5 degrees celsius,” says Lydia Buchtmann, spokesperson for the Food Safety Information Council.
However, it is advisable for pregnant women, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems not to waiting a few days to eat leftovers. Buchtmann advises if you’re in this group to eat refrigerated leftovers within 24 hours to minimise risk of foodborne illness.