Poor food preservation can pose risks to our health. This is what is known as food infections, those diseases that are caused by the ingestion of products with the presence of pathogenic germs or their toxins.
Among all, salmonellosis stands out, caused by bacteria of the Salmonella genus. It is a Gram-negative bacillus belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae family, according to the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (Aesan).
The problem is that these bacteria can multiply at room temperature in a very short time. Therefore, one of the best ways to avoid this is to refrigerate food at the right temperature. In this case, it should not take long to put the product in the refrigerator, as explained by a food safety expert to the Cadena Ser program How do you eat.
This expert gives the example of precooked chicken heated in the oven or microwave. "After eating, we have a part left over, a breast. Instead of picking it up immediately and putting it in the refrigerator, we leave it on the counter for up to two hours. And the microorganisms grow," he explains.
The food safety specialist tries to explain the speed at which Salmonella bacteria grow: "From 2 to 4, from 4 to 8, from eight to 16, from 16 to 32... And also at all times. With which "In two hours, a food at 38 degrees is capable of walking on its own."
It is difficult to detect that food is in bad condition. "That doesn't taste any different. So, the chicken didn't have Salmodella, but since you left it there... well, logically it grows and is dangerous for your health," he concludes in the interview.
