Are you often tempted to eat the pizza slice lying in the fridge? Well, we all are. We are sure all our readers will agree that having leftover pizza slice the other day tastes even more luscious. If you are someone who enjoys relishing leftover slices, then this article will be of great help to you. In this article, we will discuss if it’s okay to eat 5-day-old pizza refrigerated.
Can you eat 5-day-old pizza refrigerated?
As per the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), pizzas are safe to be consumed for up to 4 days if stored correctly in the refrigerator within 2 hours of the timeframe of taking it out. Following this rule, one should avoid eating 5-day-old pizza refrigerated in an air-tight container or a zip-lock pack. Cooked food, including pizza sitting in the refrigerator for too long, is exposed to bacteria, parasites, toxins, and other chemicals, making our bodies prone to foodborne illnesses.
Foodborne illnesses like food poisoning are caused by eating or drinking contaminated food and beverages. Food can get contaminated when left out for hours or when contacted with unsanitized hands and utensils. Contamination of food and drink mainly happens through bacteria, toxins, chemicals, and fungus. Common symptoms of food poisoning include nausea, vomiting, stomach ache, headache, weakness, and diarrhea.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can you eat 4-day-old pizza that is not refrigerated?
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, cooked food items like pizza should be consumed within 2 hours. After this time frame, pizza will start getting prone to chemicals, bacteria, and fungi.
2. How long is pizza good for in the fridge?
If you store the pizza correctly in the fridge, the pizza will be fit to be consumed for up to four days. Make sure that you refrigerate the pizza within an hour.
3. How can you tell if the pizza has gone bad in the fridge?
If you notice the texture of dry and rough texture of the pizza, it is a sign to throw it away. Do not forget to keep a check on the pungent odor.
4. Is it possible to get food poisoning from pizza?
If you consume a pizza sitting outside for more than 2 hours or stay in the refrigerator for too long, you will likely get food poisoning. You will experience symptoms like indigestion, vomiting, high fever, and nausea.
Conclusion
We hope this article helped all pizza lovers understand the time frame within which pizza is safe to be consumed. We would advise our readers to store the leftovers correctly in the fridge with the help of resealable bags and air-tight containers. Stay tuned for more such pizzalicious content!
Also Read: Can type 2 diabetic eat pizza?
