## What are the foods that can cause health problems? The foods that can be the most harmful include salad, eggs, chicken, tuna, cheese, raw milk, and wheat. It also includes minced meat, semi-finished products, raw dough, and seafood—especially mussels. __Eggshells__ may contain Salmonella bacteria, which cause the dangerous disease salmonellosis. Wash them thoroughly before cooking. __Vegetables and leafy greens__ that have been washed in advance harbor bacteria. And if they were later added to a salad seasoned with mayonnaise or sour cream, the bacteria will receive additional nourishment, and an intestinal infection will occur in an hour or two. __Semi-finished meat products__ and raw minced meat can be contaminated with E. coli bacteria, Salmonella and Listeria. E. coli can also live in __flour and homemade dough__. Baking mixes and finished doughs are also full of microbes. __Rice__ may contain the bacillus Bacillus cereus, whose spores live in raw food and multiply after cooking, so rice dishes should not be kept at room temperature for long. Either eat or refrigerate. __Cooking red beans?__ Remember, they need to be soaked for 5 hours and then boiled. If stored in the heat they can cause poisoning. __Potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplants__ produce a dangerous plant toxin—solanine. If the potatoes turn green in the sun, they should not be eaten. __Many types of fish__, such as tuna, mackerel, herring—if stored improperly, they can accumulate scombrotoxin, which causes a pseudo-allergic reaction. Its symptoms are burning in the mouth, throat, swelling, redness and skin rashes, and indigestion. __Seafood__ can accumulate toxic substances that can cause severe poisoning. In addition, there are parasites in raw fish and shellfish that can be dangerous to humans. ## What happens if food is not stored properly? Microorganisms multiply, causing the product to spoil. Pathogens can cause acute intestinal infection or food poisoning. It is risky to make a rich soup or meat stew, leave it to cool on the stove, and forget it for a couple of hours. In favorable conditions, the number of microbes grows exponentially. The ideal temperature for dangerous microbes is close to that of the human body—86–104 °F. If cereals and nuts are not stored properly, mold and mycotoxins can grow. Products of oxidative spoilage of fats appear. They have a bad effect on the body—even carcinogenic. Make sure you store fatty foods and oils in a sealed vacuum package at freezing temperatures or in a dark place. Do not use metal containers for storage. ## Life hacks for storing food and dishes __Store food__ under the conditions indicated on the label. Take the time to read the label. __Perishable food__ in unopened industrial packaging can be refrigerated for only 12 hours unless the manufacturer has not indicated a longer time on the package. __Ready meals__ should not be stored for more than 2–3 hours without a refrigerator. They must be warmed up or sent to the refrigerator immediately after purchase and stored there for no more than a day. __Any salads,__ especially seasoned ones, should be eaten on the day of preparation. Otherwise, you are risking your health. __Dishes containing raw fish__, all kinds of sushi, rolls, and tartars cannot be stored. They should be eaten immediately after preparation—3–4 hours max.