Food keeps us healthy, gives us the required energy to perform daily chores. But, did you know any food item, if consumed in a stale state, can wreak havoc to your system? Yes, a lot of foodborne illnesses are caused due to consumption of spoiled food. Hence, we should know that various foods should be consumed in a stipulated time else only discarded. A lot many food items become poisonous when stored in the refrigerator for a long time. Hence, with the Food Safety Day 2020 just around the corner, we bring to you basics of what we should avoid storing in the refrigerator for a long time. We do this as various foodborne illnesses can be a reason of eating stale food. Some common symptoms of foodborne illnesses are diarrhoea, vomiting, pain in the stomach, chills, etc. This happens due to constant irritation in the gastrointestinal tract.
Hence, think before storing these 4 food items listed below. If gone stale, these can give you sleepless nights in the restroom:
Raw Food Of Animal Origin
We tend to have this habit of storing dairy and meats in a deep freezer. But we should know that improper storage and prolonged storage can lead to these food items going stale. And, eating raw meat and poultry, fresh eggs, unpasteurised milk, and raw shellfish can undoubtedly lead to various health concerns, including diarrhoea and food poisoning. We should know that frozen meat should not be kept in the freezer for a long time. Ensure that the meat is stored at the same temperature. Check the meat manually with your hands to know its softness/tightness of the meat. Also, do not store raw and cooked meat in the same containers. Foodborne illnesses like food poisoning can even be fatal, if not treated on time.
Also Read: World Food Safety Day 2020: All About Packaged Foods And Proper Hygiene Measures
Old Fruits & Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables go bad with time. They turn black in colour, their surface starts to change, and even the taste could start to differ. Hence, ensure that you properly store your vegetables and fruits in the refrigerator. Green leafy vegetables should be washed, dried and then stored in cotton cloth pieces. Also, vegetables like tomatoes and brinjal, that go bad with time should be bought only as per consumption. Most fruits and vegetables oxidise over time, leading to a blackish appearance on its skin. This means the fruit or vegetable has ripened over time and either should be consumed before it turns stale or just discarded.
Raw Sprouts
Raw sprouts may be extremely healthy, but one should know that sprouting certainly promotes the growth of microbes. Hence, if not consumed on time, sprouts can be extremely unhealthy, and even lead to various git-related problems. Also, sprouts, if turned brown or has a changed appearance, then we should know that these sprouts could lead to probable health concerns. These can very well be stored and should be kept in an airtight container with an inlet for the air to pass.
Also Read: 5 Pre-Made And Pre-Cut Food Items That You Should Totally Avoid
Old Pasteurised Fruit Juices
Pasteurisation means killing the bacteria in the food. Intense pressure is applied to the bottle of beverage to kill the pathogens. Hence, these juices, if crossed their shelf life should be not consumed as these could to various bacteria-related health concerns. Also, if the bottle had a broken seal, should be thrown away without any thought.
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