Festive celebrations often mean an abundance of food and sweets, with boxes of mithai arriving from friends and family and leftovers finding their way into our refrigerators. how safe are these practices While we may be tempted to savour these treats over several days or reheat leftover meals to avoid wastage. To understand the potential health risks, HT Lifestyle spoke to medical experts about the dangers of consuming repeatedly reheated food and improperly stored mithai, the symptoms to watch out for, and the precautions we should take to keep our festive indulgences safe.
He adds that repeatedly cooling, storing and reheating food increases the chances of bacterial contamination, particularly when food is left outside for long periods between heating cycles. “Food must be reheated thoroughly to an adequate temperature to ensure harmful bacteria are eliminated. Repeated heating can also affect the nutritional quality of food. Heat-sensitive vitamins, such as vitamins B and C, may break down during repeated heating, reducing the food’s nutritional value. Dr Runderawala also cautions against repeatedly heating cooking oil, as this can lead to the formation of potentially harmful compounds.
Consultant in Infectious Diseases at Ruby Hall Clinic, Pune, cooked food left outside for too long, especially in warm and humid conditions, can become a breeding ground for harmful bacteria, according to Dr Devashish Desai. “Reheating food does not necessarily make it safe, as certain bacteria can produce toxins that may survive even after heating,” he explains. Cooked food should also be refrigerated within two hours to prevent bacterial growth,” he says.
