Easy Ways to Identify: How To Tell If Cooked Food Is Spoiled

Since I was hospitalized after eating spoiled food once, I have attached great importance to judging whether food has gone bad. Some foods seem to have normal colors, but in fact they have gone bad. Now I will share with you "How can I know if my cooked food has gone bad".

How To Tell If Cooked Food Is Spoiled?

Here are some methods I have summarized:

Look at the color

If the color of cooked food becomes dull and there are spots or other colors, then it is mostly spoiled and it is not recommended to eat it anymore. For example, if the color of braised pork turns tan, it is abnormal.

Look at the texture

If the texture of food becomes thick, soft or there is liquid flowing out of originally firm food, then it is mostly spoiled and cannot be eaten anymore.

Smell the odor

Under normal circumstances, good food should smell of its unique fragrance. If there is an abnormal sour, musty or rancid smell in the food, then it is abnormal and may have deteriorated.

Check the temperature

Generally, if cooked food is placed at room temperature for more than two hours, bacteria will multiply rapidly and increase the risk of spoilage.

If the food has cooled down, then make sure to reheat it to at least 74°C (165°F) to kill potential harmful bacteria.

Pay attention to packaging

Observe the tightness of food. If food is stored in an unsealed container, it is easily contaminated when exposed to air.

You can also check the expiration date label on the food packaging. If it is past the consumption period, then it cannot be eaten anymore.

Use test strips or detectors

There are some test strips on the market that specifically detect the bacterial content in food and can help determine whether food is safe to eat.

Are leftovers good after 7 days?

It depends on the actual situation.

If it is cooked food, such as some stir-fried dishes or cold dishes, it is not recommended to eat it again after 7 days of storage, whether it is placed in the refrigerator or stored at room temperature, because it is likely to have deteriorated after 7 days of storage, and it may threaten the health of the human body after consumption.

If it is a sealed packaged dry food, such as dried black fungus, dried white fungus or dried mushrooms, it can be eaten again. The shelf life of dry goods is usually longer and can be stored for several months.

For some pickled foods, such as pickles, kimchi, bacon, etc., they can still be eaten normally after 7 days of storage under appropriate temperature storage conditions. However, you still need to check before eating to see if there is any odor, mold or texture change.

If it is food that has been placed at room temperature for 7 days, especially perishable foods such as meat, eggs, and milk, it is basically not edible anymore, and a large number of bacteria and microorganisms may have grown.

How long before cooked food goes bad?

It depends on the actual storage method.

If stored at room temperature, then in hot weather like summer, the food may go bad in about 4-5 hours, especially meat and seafood, which are easy to go bad under high temperature.

If the cooked food is stored in the refrigerator, leafy vegetables can be stored for about 1-2 days after cooking; root vegetables like potatoes and carrots can be stored for about 2-3 days; and meat dishes can be stored for 3-4 days if they are well sealed. But it is not completely absolute, it depends on the temperature of the refrigerator and the state of the food itself.

Of course, if the cooked food is placed in the freezer of the refrigerator, it can be stored for a long time under the low temperature conditions of the freezer of the refrigerator. Meat, soup, etc. can be stored for several months, but it should be noted that repeated freezing and thawing will also affect the quality of the food and make the food more likely to go bad.

It should be noted that the packaging method of food will affect its storage time. If it is sealed, it can isolate some air and bacteria, and the rate of deterioration will be slower.

What are the symptoms of eating bad leftovers?

Eating spoiled leftovers, the most common symptom is gastrointestinal discomfort. There may be nausea, feeling like the stomach is churning and always wanting to vomit. Then there is abdominal pain. The stomach will have spasms in waves, making people unable to straighten up.

In more serious cases, there will be diarrhea. In mild cases, it may occur several times a day. In severe cases, it may lead to dehydration and the whole person will be weak.

Some spoiled leftovers can cause food poisoning. In addition to gastrointestinal symptoms, there may also be fever, elevated body temperature, feeling alternating hot and cold all over the body, which is particularly uncomfortable.

In addition, there may also be symptoms of dizziness and headache, making people feel dizzy as if there is a ball of cotton stuffed in it. So for your own health, don't eat spoiled food. If you accidentally eat spoiled food, you need to seek medical attention and examination in time.

Can you cook bacteria out of food?

Most bacteria can be boiled off through correct cooking methods.

First of all, harmful bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella commonly found in life can be killed under continuous high-temperature cooking. Because when the internal temperature of food reaches 70 - 80 degrees Celsius and is maintained for a certain period of time, these bacteria can be somewhat killed. For example, cooking meat until it is fully cooked and the center temperature is high enough can effectively reduce the bacterial hazard.

However, some bacteria will produce heat-resistant spores, such as Clostridium botulinum spores. Clostridium botulinum spores are extremely tenacious and conventional cooking time and temperature may not be able to completely eliminate them. So be extra careful when cooking food with Clostridium botulinum spores.

Precautions

In life, food must be cooked in the correct way. Because even if bacteria are killed, if food is placed improperly after cooking, new bacterial contamination will occur.

Is it safe to eat refrigerated food without reheating?

If it is a cold collection such as fresh fruit and vegetable salad, made in a clean and sanitary environment, and within the shelf life, then it is relatively safe. However, the refrigerated environment can only slow down the growth of bacteria, not completely stop it.

Like refrigerated deli meats or dairy products, there are risks associated with eating them unheated. Some bacteria thrive even in cold storage, such as Listeria, which can grow at low temperatures and can cause serious health problems such as fever, headache, and diarrhea if consumed in cold storage.

Some pre-made refrigerated dishes, such as cold dishes, should also be treated with caution when eaten without heating. Carefully check the shelf life and storage conditions on the package to see if the food has signs of deterioration such as discoloration, stale taste or slime. In short, eat frozen food without heating, and be sure to pay more attention to the state and type of food to protect your own health.