Can overnight melons, tea, and vegetables be eaten? Speak clearly!

Science Popularization China | Author Xu LangIn daily life, we often see news like this:Eating something overnight can cause cancerEating overnight watermelon resulted in acute gastroenteritisA family of three took a bite of agaric overnight and was admitted to the hospital that nightMany people feel some fear when they see such news. So can we eat overnight food? How to preserve an endless meal? Today, let's talk about a few overnight drinks and food issues that everyone is concerned about

Science Popularization China | Author Xu Lang

In daily life, we often see news like this:

Eating something overnight can cause cancer

Eating overnight watermelon resulted in acute gastroenteritis

A family of three took a bite of agaric overnight and was admitted to the hospital that night

Many people feel some fear when they see such news. So can we eat overnight food? How to preserve an endless meal? Today, let's talk about a few overnight drinks and food issues that everyone is concerned about.

Can I drink tea overnight?

Overnight tea has no strict definition, mainly for tea that has been brewed for too long.

In addition, tea that has been brewed for too long will not produce toxic substances except for its darker color and bitter taste. The darkening of the color is caused by the oxidation of tea polyphenols. So you can drink tea that has been brewed for a long time, but it's too bitter to drink.

Can I eat overnight meals?

The safety of leftover food does not depend on whether it is stored overnight or for a long time, but rather on whether the food produces harmful substances or deteriorates during storage. Overnight food has two major safety issues: firstly, microbial reproduction can lead to food spoilage; Secondly, the increase in nitrite can cause food poisoning and pose a risk of cancer. However, the growth of nitrite in overnight food is not as frightening as people think.

So overnight dishes are not something that cannot be eaten, but everyone should also be careful, it's best to leave meat and vegetables, and not keep cold dishes. In addition, when storing leftovers in the refrigerator, it is also important to remember to seal them with cling film or bags and place them on the upper layer of the refrigerator, separate from the unwashed fruits and vegetables on the lower layer. After removing the refrigerated leftovers, they should be thoroughly heated before consumption.

Of course, if possible, it's best to make a small amount each time, eat it now, and don't eat leftovers.

Can watermelon be eaten overnight?

In the summer, buying a large watermelon is not enough to eat. Even if it is refrigerated after being cut open, many people are worried that the total number of bacterial colonies on the cut surface of the watermelon may exceed the standard.

However, studies have shown that there is no significant difference in the total bacterial count of the same variety of watermelon in fresh cut, overnight refrigerated cut, and overnight refrigerated cut samples 2 centimeters below the surface. This indicates that low-temperature refrigeration can significantly delay or inhibit the growth of bacteria on watermelon slices, and overnight watermelon does not have any food safety issues caused by excessive bacterial count.

Although overnight watermelon is not fatal, if you want to eat it with more confidence, it is best to clean the knife, watermelon, hands, and cutting board before cutting the watermelon, and pay attention to using a cooked food cutting knife and cutting board. Watermelons that cannot be consumed should also be wrapped in plastic wrap before being refrigerated.

Don't eat these overnight foods!

Although many foods are eaten overnight, they are not as scary as I thought. However, if overnight food is not stored properly, it is likely to breed bacteria. Some people with weaker immune systems, such as children, pregnant women, and the elderly, can cause food poisoning, such as soaked black fungus, white fungus, fermented rice noodles, and starch products.

Soaked black fungus, white fungus, and fermented rice flour and starch products are prone to contamination by Pseudomonas coconutum, producing high-temperature resistant rice yeast acid toxins at room temperature. Toxins entering the human body can cause symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, etc. Excessive intake can also lead to multiple organ failure and even death.

Soak black fungus and white fungus in cold water for 1-2 hours before processing and consumption. It is best to soak the hair for no more than 4 hours, and if soaked in hot water, the time should be even shorter. If there is mucus or odor, it is best to throw it away.

Food preservation tips

In people's daily understanding, the fresher the food, the better. However, it is inevitable that there will be leftovers in daily life, which leads to us having to keep these foods "overnight". Therefore, we need to master some tips on preservation:

1. Food that cannot be eaten should be stored at room temperature for no more than 2 hours.

2. It is best to pack leftovers separately. Placing a large amount of food in a large container requires a longer period of cooling, which increases the risk of bacterial growth. So it's best to divide the food into several parts and place them in shallow containers to speed up the heat dissipation of the food.

3. Delicatessen and raw food should be strictly separated. Due to limited refrigerator space, many people place fresh vegetables and other raw foods directly next to cooked foods, which can easily lead to cross infection of bacteria. The maximum storage time for cooked food in the refrigerator should not exceed 3 days. If it is suspected that the food has deteriorated, it should be discarded as soon as possible.

In fact, when cooking, we always prepare a lot of food because we are worried about not having enough to eat, but we have to put these food into the refrigerator to refrigerate. But the next day, because we don't want to eat it, we will postpone it to the third or fourth day, or because we don't eat it for a long time, we will throw it away.

So in order to avoid food waste, it is also necessary to develop the habit of hoarding less ready-made food. Eating a well prepared meal not only gives you a sense of fullness, but also provides a sense of spiritual pleasure. Encourage yourself to eat as much as you can today, and gain a sense of satisfaction!

References

[1] Can Overnight Tea Cause Cancer? [J] Health Care Community

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