Leftovers, Refrigerators & Freezers

(Leftovers in the Refrigerator)
Some degree of bacteria & germs are always multiplying in refrigerator stored food that does not contain preservatives.
But the cool temperature of the refrigerator slows the process way down in comparison to food left out at room temperature.
You can be pretty safe that food refrigerated up to 3 days will not contain bacteria & germs in a harmful amount.
But after 3 days, you just don’t know if the bacteria & germs are cultured in such an increased amount that they can harm the digestive system & other functions of the body.
Therefore, it is always wise to freeze what you cannot eat in 3 days after making a recipe.

(Leftovers in the Freezer)
Food stored in a freezer, actually inactivates bacteria & germs from multiplying.
That is why you can almost store food frozen indefinitely.
The problem comes when the food becomes freezer burnt.
Freezer burnt food becomes dry and diminishes in flavor, which usually happens after about 4 months of freezer storage.
You can lengthen the freezer storage time to 6 months by putting the stored food in thicker containers & wrapping the containers in big baggies or thick paper.

(Thawing Food)
Remember, once the frozen food is thawed, the bacteria & germs will become active & start multiplying again, so it is a good idea to eat the food you take out of the freezer within 1 or 2 days.

It is the safest to thaw frozen food in the refrigerator overnight rather than leaving it out on the counter for a long period of time.
This will help keep bacteria & germs from become active sooner.
Counter thawing should be limited to 1 - 3 hrs., depending on the amount of food thawing.

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