It’s not recommended to consume any type of food after it’s been left out overnight at room temperature, as this often develops a prime breeding ground for a host of unwanted bacteria. If fried food was forgotten on the countertop, it’s best to toss it into the garbage and eat something else instead.
Fried food left out overnight should not be eaten. This can cause potentially dangerous side effects and it’s well past the recommended time allotment for food to be at room temperature. Anything past the two-hour mark for perishable foods is questionable territory and food poisoning is more likely to develop if this food is consumed.
But even with the two-hour mark used as a guideline, it can be hard to tell if food has gone bad or not, and what could happen if you accidentally consumed the leftovers. Continue reading as we’ll go through all of this.
How Can You Tell If Fried Foods Have Gone Bad?
As with any other food, fried foods will give off immediate signs that it’s no longer safe to eat. If the fried food looks moldy or has a strong sour aroma, it’s best to toss it out.
Leftovers should generally keep the same smell that they had when they were served fresh, though it’s normal for the texture to change.
When bringing home food from a favorite restaurant, it’s best to consume the leftovers within a day or two to avoid anything going bad. It’s disappointing to open the to-go container of the meal you were looking forward to, only to find moldy fried leftovers.
On occasion, spoiled food may also develop a slimy layer. This is not only unpleasant to eat, but it’s also a sign that bad bacteria has taken over the food and it should therefore be discarded promptly. Spoiled food can turn mushy, even when it’s a food item such as fried chicken, that shouldn’t be soft.
If it’s uncertain how long the food has been stored in the fridge or the freezer, proceeding with caution is recommended. Using various senses to determine whether the food is still safe to eat is the best way to move forward.
If the food has certainly been stored longer than recommended, it should be tossed out to prevent any consumption of spoiled fried food.
What Happens If You Eat Fried Foods That Have Gone Bad?
Eating fried food that has gone bad can lead to an array of stomach issues, though luckily many of them aren’t serious. Upon realizing that the food has gone bad, many people may become feel queasy or nauseated, which are both normal reactions.
In rarer cases, food poisoning may develop and this can often require increased liquids and perhaps over-the-counter medications to alleviate the symptoms.
Upon eating fried food that has gone bad, there may be an unpleasant taste. After spitting the food out, the rest should be discarded immediately. If symptoms present themselves, they should be treated individually and medical attention should be sought if they persist.
To prevent fried food from going bad, it should be stored correctly and eaten within 2-3 days to avoid any avoidable issues. It’s best to visually examine food before eating it, as well as give it a quick sniff test to ensure everything looks and smells good before the taste is determined.
Food poisoning symptoms can start within a few hours of eating contaminated food. While generally mild, the symptoms can be unpleasant and may take a few days to be fully flushed from one’s system.
Does Reheating Food Remove Bacteria?
For the most part, reheating food to the correct temperature can kill off many harmful airborne bacteria. Of course, if the food has already spoiled then reheating will do little to make it safe for consumption again and it should be thrown away promptly.
Certain types of food-borne bacteria are not killed off during the heating process, which is why proper food safety measures are recommended.
Perishable food should never be left out at room temperature for a longer period than two hours, at which point dangerous bacteria can quickly take over and cause harmful symptoms if consumed.
The two-hour time period begins after the food is removed from a heat source. If the food was cooked on the stove or in the oven, once it’s removed then the two hours begin.
As the food comes down to room temperature, harmful bacteria are more likely to begin growing and causing potentially dangerous spores that shouldn’t be consumed.
If the temperature inside the home is above 90 degrees, then the two-hour mark is no longer the benchmark. This time should be cut in half and the food should be refrigerated within an hour for food to remain safe for human consumption.
Bacteria can produce heat-resistant spores that no amount of reheating can get rid of. If the food has been left out for an undeterminable amount of time, it’s better to be safe than sorry and the item should be disposed of.
Reheating food should never be the number one method that one is relying on to rid the food of any contamination or bacteria. It’s not a surefire method and shouldn’t be the go-to method when reheating leftovers.
How Should Fried Foods Be Stored?
When storing fried foods, people should stay considerate of the moisture content in the container. Sogginess causes fried foods to lose their crispness, so placing a paper towel in the container can help to soak up some of the excess moisture.
Inevitably, fried food will lose its crunch after being stored in the fridge but with the proper reheating method, it can still be revived.
If fried food is frozen, this can often affect both the taste and the texture of the dish. However, this method can also extend the lifespan of the food as it can be safely kept for several months.
When removing the frozen items to reheat, they should not be defrosted. Instead, they should be heated from frozen for the best results.
Before storing fried food, it should be allowed to cool completely before refrigeration. Attempting to store hot fried food can result in a build-up of excess condensation within the container, which leads to soggy breading that won’t crisp back up regardless of the reheating method chosen.
Fried food should always be stored in an airtight container, whether plastic or glass. This ensures that the food remains fresh and prevents it from going rancid prematurely.
When using airtight Tupperware containers, food can stay good between 3-5 days. At this point, it should be eaten, thrown away, or frozen for a later date.
How Should You Reheat Fried Foods?
Reheating fried food can be a struggle and oftentimes, the food never regains its original texture. Now, with the invention and widespread use of the air fryer — houses across the world can give their fried leftovers new life.
While an air fryer may not get the food as crispy as it was originally, it’ll get it most of the way there and it’s certainly a better option than a microwave.
Reheating fried food in the microwave is the quickest method for putting a hot meal on the plate. The texture, however, will become soggy and the fried breading is likely to fall off altogether and become unpleasant and mushy to eat.
The second best method for reheating fried food is using a conventional oven or a toaster oven. Setting the temperature between 350-400 degrees Fahrenheit can dry out the moisture and crisp up the outer layer of the food.
For many people, this is the most accessible method for retraining a semi-crisp exterior on leftover fried food.
Placing leftover fried food on a wire rack can allow it room to breathe, thus allowing more moisture to evaporate during the heating process. This method allows the bottom of the food item to warm up evenly and become crispy and delicious again.