FACT CHECK: Is it safe to eat refrigerated food?
Experts warn against keeping food too long in the fridge or reheating it multiple times
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CLAIM: Refrigerating food is perfectly safe and doesn’t lead to nutrient loss or health issues if done right.
FACT: True. Refrigeration at or below 40°F (4°C) slows down the growth of harmful bacteria, which can cause food-borne illness. Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. If stored for too long, the food may start to grow bacteria and might result in loss of essential nutrients and taste and flavor.
First Check came across an Instagram reel posted by @myhealthbuddy where two women talk about whether refrigerating food is safe or not. One of them claims that eating overnight food is unhealthy, to which the other responds, “This is a big misconception.”
She explains that the fridge temperature is 0-4 degrees Celsius while bacteria develop above 5 degrees.
“Okay, and what about nutrient loss?” the first woman asks while the second one replies that no nutrient is lost at low temperatures.
“Keep [the food] in airtight containers, and it is safe for 3-4 days,” she concludes.
The video has garnered more than 143,000 likes.
What does science say?
Refrigeration at or below 40°F (4°C) is a cornerstone of food safety, dramatically slowing the growth of harmful bacteria like Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria, which can cause food-borne illness. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or frozen for 3 to 4 months. Although safe indefinitely, frozen leftovers can lose moisture and flavor when stored for longer times in the freezer.
A 2018 study in the International Journal of Food Studies noted that vitamin C in broccoli stored at 5°C (41°F) showed minimal degradation in the first few days, with a lower decay rate, indicating very slow loss. After 7 days at 5°C, broccoli retained most of its vitamin C, confirming minimal loss in 24–48 hours.
What happens if food is refrigerated for too long?
Dt. Suhyla Manzoor, senior dietitian at Fitelo, a health tech company, says that food stored for longer durations in the fridge develops bacteria.
“With time, it starts growing bacteria, which causes food poisoning,” Dt Manzoor toldFirst Check. “Also, it results in loss of essential nutrients, loss of taste, and flavor.”
She continued: “After you remove food from the refrigerator after a day, you should wait till it gets back to room temperature. Then heat it. Heat once only; avoid reheating the food, as that again causes loss of nutrients.”
Also read: How To Cut Microplastics from Food and Drinking Water Safely
