Food safety can be confusing, as a lot of conflicting information exists on how to avoid getting ill.
This is especially true when it comes to reheating dishes, as rules differ across a wide variety of foods. However, the idea of throwing out leftovers is wasteful, so many diners decide to take the risk.
One of the more disputed foods on this topic is rice, as some claim reheating the grain can make you sick. Others believe it to be perfectly fine as they've never gotten sick from twice heated rice.
To clear things up, accredited dietician Kim Lindsay, from Australia, has shared three food staples that you should never reheat. The expert has also given her professional opinion on what to do with extra rice.
Here's what to know, as reported by the Mirror.
Rice
Kim shares the belief that rice should never be reheated, despite it being a staple in many cultures.
Speaking to The Daily Mail, she explained: "Rice is a big risk. Those spores are heat resistant, so even when you heat them up, they can still be causing harmful pathogens."
Cooked rice has a spore-forming bacteria called Bacillus cereus, which is typically found in soil and vegetables. By eating reheated rice you risk symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal cramps.
The NHS has its own advice when it comes to reheating rice: "Cool rice as quickly as possible (within one hour) and put it in the fridge or freezer. Rice placed in the fridge should be eaten within 24 hours and never reheated more than once."
Eggs
Another thing Ms Lindsay would never reheat are eggs, because they can carry the salmonella bacteria, which can cause food poisoning.
The reason it can be tricky to reheat is that a microwave can cause it to be "uneven". She added: "Sometimes it's hot on the edges and cold in the middle or vice versa."
Spinach
Reheating spinach is risky, because it carries a risk of listeria if it hasn't been done properly, warns Ms Lindsay.
Listeria can lead to listeriosis, which is a serious infection that results in fever, flu-like symptoms – and even seizures. According to the NHS, food should be cooled as quickly as possible (within one or two hours) and put in the fridge or freezer.
When reheating it should be "steaming hot all the way through" and should be eaten within two days.
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