Experts Are Begging You To Stop Making These 7 Mistakes When Storing Leftovers

"Food safety isn't just about how you cook your food; it's about how you cool and store it. You don't need a degree in microbiology to meal prep safely. Wash your hands (for a full 20 seconds), refrigerate food within two hours, cool fast and in shallow containers, and stop trusting your nose."

Leftovers present significant food safety risks in home kitchens, ranking among the most common sources of foodborne illness. Common mistakes include allowing food to cool on countertops and storing items beyond safe timeframes. Food safety experts emphasize that proper handling extends beyond cooking techniques to focus on cooling and storage methods. Key safety practices include washing hands for 20 seconds, refrigerating food within two hours of cooking, using shallow containers for rapid cooling, and avoiding reliance on sensory cues like smell to determine food safety. These preventive measures are straightforward to implement and substantially reduce contamination risks.

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