In a healthy lifestyle, it is essential to ensure the safety and security of three meals a day. However, many elderly people like to hoard food, and they are still reluctant to throw away the food even if it has passed its expiration date or even becomes moldy. Sometimes, to avoid waste, they also heat up expired and spoiled food before eating. So, is spoiled food that has been boiled at high temperatures still edible?
Food deterioration refers to the change of the physical and chemical properties of food under the influence of external factors, resulting in a decrease in quality, a change in color, a deterioration in taste, and even an unpleasant odor, thus losing its own edible value and nutritional value. Food spoilage is associated with microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, etc. in the air. These microorganisms can be found everywhere in daily life, and they are also easily found in the production, processing, transportation, storage and marketing of food. At the right temperature, bacteria and fungi can multiply and break down nutrients such as proteins, fats, and carbohydrates in the food. In this process, certain enzymes contained in the food itself can also promote the decomposition of food components, further accelerating the process of food spoilage.
Spoiled food not only loses its nutritional value, but also produces a range of toxins that are harmful to human health. After eating spoiled food, people may experience symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and even food poisoning and even death in severe cases. Specifically, the consumption of spoiled food can lead to intestinal damage, food poisoning, and carcinogenic problems.
So, is it safe to eat by killing microorganisms in spoiled food by high temperatures?The answer is no!This is because some bacteria are tolerant to high temperatures, and even heating cannot completely eliminate them. In addition, most of the toxins contained in spoiled food cannot be reduced or eliminated by high temperatures, such as aflatoxins and oryza fermented acid, which are highly heat-resistant. Therefore, even spoiled food that has been boiled can still cause people to experience symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, food poisoning, etc.
In addition, even if only part of the spoiled food is spoiled, the rest of the food appears intact and is not suitable for further consumption. For example, our common case of moldy fruits. Studies have shown that for partially moldy fruits, even if the remaining parts look normal to the naked eye, they may contain a lot of mold. If you continue to consume it at this time, it will only increase the risk of getting sick.
In summary, boiling spoiled food at high temperatures does not guarantee its safety. Although high temperatures can kill a portion of microorganisms, there are still some bacteria and toxins that are resistant to high temperatures that cannot be eliminated. In addition, even if only part of the spoiled food is spoiled, there may be a lot of mold in the remaining parts. Therefore, in order to ensure a healthy life, we should avoid consuming spoiled food, whether it has been treated with high temperature or unprocessed. Only by ensuring the safety and freshness of food can we enjoy a healthy eating life.