Most ready-made meals are reheated in the microwave, but some foods can become dangerous when exposed to this type of heating. There are specific food categories that should be consumed with precaution, especially after they have been kept for a long time at room temperature.
According to the English newspaper The Independent, which cites the European Food Information Council and the Food Standards Agency, the main risk results from the fact that the microwave does not warm the food evenly, leaving some zones at insufficient temperatures to destroy certain microorganisms.
Dangers associated with chicken meat
Writes the newspaper that chicken should be avoided when it comes to warming back in the microwave. Adds the publication that the proteins present in this meat are especially sensitive to prolonged exposure to irregular temperatures, which can cause changes in the body and cause stomach pain. The best way to reduce risk is to turn meat regularly during heating, ensuring that all parts reach adequate temperatures.
The risk increases further when chicken is not properly stored in the refrigerator, as certain bacteria multiply rapidly at room temperature and are not destroyed by partial heating of the device.
Rice and potatoes: conservation before warming
According to the same source, the rice should be stored in the refrigerator right after making, since spores that remain in the grain can multiply when it is left at room temperature. Writes the newspaper that reasons the rice in the microwave, even for several minutes, does not eliminate all microorganisms and can cause food poisoning.
The same reasoning applies to potatoes. If these are letting cool outdoors and not refrigerated, they can develop the bacteria Clostridium botulinumwhich is not eliminated with the reheating. Refers to The Independent that involving this food in aluminum paper can aggravate the risk.
Mushrooms and protein change
According to the European Food Information Council, mushrooms contain rapidly degrading proteins when food is exposed to inadequate temperatures. Reheating above 70 degrees may cause changes in protein structure, which increases the likelihood of gastrointestinal problems.
The newspaper explains that these effects can be avoided if the mushrooms are stored in the fridge and consumed within 24 hours of making, preferably without resorting to the microwave.
Leaf vegetables with high nitrate content
Finally, the reheating of spinach and other leaf vegetables, such as watercraft, arugula or kale, is advised against. These foods have high levels of nitrate that, when exposed to a second phase of heating, become nitrite and may originate compounds called nitrosamines.
Writes the newspaper that, although nitrates are harmless in the original state, nitrosamines can affect blood ability to transport oxygen, which poses an added risk for young children and may result in the so -called blue baby syndrome.
Indispensable care to avoid risks
Note that safe consumption of reheats depends mainly on how food is kept after making. Storing food in the refrigerator up to two hours after cooking and warming small portions at a time can significantly reduce the risk of intoxication. In addition, moving food in the middle of heating is one of the simplest ways to ensure uniform distribution of heat.
Finally, according to the, it is recommended to avoid repeated reheating of the same food and consume leftovers within 24 hours, always maintaining a proper conservation temperature until consumption.
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