Ever wondered why some leftover foods taste better the next day but not all?

Did you ever wonder why leftover food tastes much better on the next day? It’s not just your taste buds playing tricks, but there is an actual science behind it

Krish Ashok shared a video on Instagram mentioning, “Have you wondered why yesterday’s fish curry, biryani, and vatha kuzhambu tastes much better after spending a night in the fridge? But pooris and chapatis not so much.”

 

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G Sushma, clinical dietician, at CARE Hospitals Banjar Hills, Hyderabad said, “According to various sources, chemical changes in different types of food may contribute in enhancing its flavour. There are multiple types of reactions and sometimes a combination of them together.”

G Sushma mentioned some commonly known chemical changes include –
*Maillard Reaction – Amino acid and sugars react together to enhance flavour.
*Enzymatic Activity – Enzymes in food like fats or protein continue breaking down even after cooking
*Starch Retrogradation – this process causes starch to recrystallise
*Oxidation – when exposed to air, new compounds of flavour can be developed
*Microbial Fermentation – microbes inside the food cause fermentation
*Flavour Compound Diffusion – when different ingredients merge together for a long time
*Continued Moisture Migration – when moisture in food gets redistributed

Does the cooling and reheating process affect the taste and texture of food?

Heat is known to affect the compounds in the food. The process of cooling and reheating the food will certainly affect the taste and texture as it causes multiple chemical reactions. Taste can be altered when the moisture in the food is lost or when multiple foods sit together for a long time, said G Sushma.

Amino acid in proteins may decrease due to being reheated, this can also affect its quality. (Source: Freepik)

The texture is affected when starchy food becomes firmer, changes in protein food structure, when certain foods lose out fat, etc. Food may become firm or mushy depending on the chemical reactions. It is important to store and reheat properly to avoid the harmful effects of toxins, added G Sushma.

Impact on nutritional content of food

Due to food undergoing different chemical reactions when stored and reheated – the nutritional value can be affected. Vitamin B and C can be lost due to heat. Vitamins like A, K or D can also suffer some loss due to constant exposure to heat.

Amino acid in proteins may decrease due to being reheated, this can also affect its quality. Fats when reheated can form trans fats, which is harmful for the body, mentioned G Sushma.

Health risks associated with eating leftover food

G Sushma said that eating leftover food might lead to health concerns, largely due to bacterial growth and contamination. Leftovers can also cause food poisoning if it is not sealed and refrigerated on time.

Bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria are quite harmful in nature. The symptoms might even escalate among people that are prone to falling ill. These include aged people, pregnant females and even children. Having poor immunity makes people susceptible to food poisoning easily.

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