Myth: It’s easy to spot spoiled food

If the products are bad, it is immediately noticeable. In addition, if one of the eaters gets poisoned, it will happen immediately.
These statements are not true. The appearance of symptoms of poisoning and their severity depend on various factors, such as the type of microbe, the degree of contamination of the product and the individual sensitivity of the body to infection.

For example, in the case of spoiled fermented milk products in a kindergarten, all children are likely to be poisoned. At the same time, different leaves of the same cabbage can contain both dangerous and safe levels of bacteria.

It is possible to determine whether food has spoiled or not only in 30% of cases by its appearance and smell. Bacteria are invisible to the eye, so we cannot determine how they mutate and multiply on the surface of food. If there is even a slight suspicion of spoiled food, it is better to avoid eating it.
Also, food should be left out of the refrigerator for no more than 2 hours, and on a hot day – no more than an hour.

Myth: You can eat moldy foods if you cut off the affected part

Only the tip of the mold is visible on the surface of the product, but actively growing fungal mycelium is able to penetrate deep inside and remain invisible. Only mold that is specially grown, for example, on blue cheese, is safe for consumption.
Mold spreads quickly through soft, spongy foods. Therefore, if mold appears on sour cream or bread, you will have to throw away not only the affected area, but also the rest of the product, since the fungi have already penetrated it.

You should not eat moldy jams or canned goods, since heat treatment does not destroy mycotoxins.
Foods that can be preserved: hard sausage (after removing the mold), hard and semi-hard cheese, and hard vegetables such as carrots, cabbage and potatoes (after cutting off the moldy area).

Myth: You can drink yesterday’s tea leaves

Brewed tea is best drunk within a short period of time. A teapot is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, so tea should be drunk within 30 minutes. To maintain the freshness of the tea leaves, you can place it in the refrigerator for 12 hours, after which it is better to throw it away.

Green tea can be brewed several times, but tea that has been left at room temperature is not suitable for repeated brewing. It is better to keep the tea leaves in the refrigerator for no more than 12 hours.

According to health recommendations, tea with lemon can be stored for no more than 30 minutes.

Oolong tea does not spoil if you add water to it while it is warm. However, already cooled oolong is not suitable for re-infusion, and it is best not to consume it after 6 hours.
Infused tea contains acids and fluoride, so if it is not suitable for consumption, it can be used as a mouth rinse or eye wash.