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Doggy bags and takeaway food

What is the issue?

Taking leftovers home after a meal out (called a ‘doggy bag’) or buying takeaway food is common. While you take home leftovers from the food outlet to your refrigerator or oven, the food lies in the temperature danger zone – between 4^oC and 60^oC. This means that hot food begins to cool down or cold food warms up and pathogens (bugs) are able to multiply. This fact sheet outlines what can go wrong with doggy bag and takeaway food and how you can avoid illness.

Who is responsible for safe doggy bag food?

The person who operates the food outlet should provide you with hygienically prepared food to that is safe to eat immediately. They may offer you a container to take home leftovers, or you can supply your own. However, the operator may refuse to let you take leftovers away, because they run the risk that their food could be mis-handled and then blamed if someone becomes ill. If you take the food away, the safety of that food is up to you.

How might leftovers become unsafe?

Leftovers may become unsafe if they stay in the temperature danger zone for too long, or are contaminated for example by unclean hands, using implements that have been used on other foods, drips from meat, contacting unclean surfaces etc.

Common pathogens on food include bacteria such as Campylobacter, Salmonella, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, and Clostridium, and viruses such as Norovirus and Hepatitis A. (See the NZFSA brochure ‘Meet the bugs’ for more information on pathogens that cause foodborne illness).

Symptoms of a foodborne illness include nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, stomach cramps, headaches and dehydration from loss of fluids. Anyone suffering symptoms should see a doctor so that the pathogen can be identified. Steps can then be taken to ensure that no-one else becomes ill.

Food handlers who are ill should not go back to work until they have been cleared by their doctor so they don’t transfer pathogens on to food or their customers.

How soon should I eat, or refrigerate my leftovers? How long can I keep it for?

• within 2 hours of the food leaving the hotplate, the oven or the chiller at the restaurant, you should refrigerate your leftovers (at 2-4^oC) or eat it. Sooner if possible

• if your food was refrigerated within 2 hours, then you can keep the food for up to 2 days

• reheat doggy bag food until it is steaming hot (75^oC) and then eat it straight away

• discard any remains of the reheated doggy bag or takeaway food – do not reheat them again

• if serving chilled food cold, serve it straight from the fridge

• whenever in doubt, throw it out!

Who is most at risk of illness, and what can be done?

Those with fragile immune systems such as the very young, the elderly, pregnant women or anyone recovering from a long-term chronic illness are most susceptible to illness carried in food. Particular care should be taken when transporting, preparing, storing and reheating doggy bag or leftover takeaway food for these people. (For more information, see the NZFSA booklet Food Safety when you have low immunity.)

By asking yourself the following questions, you can reduce the risk of foodborne illness – remember the 4Cs (Clean, Cook, Cover, Chill):

• clean – is the doggy bag container clean? Are the food-preparation surfaces in the food outlet or your own kitchen clean, including the fridge? Do you always wash your hands before touching food? How clean are the tongs, forks etc? Have you prepared raw foods (especially meat) on the surfaces you’re using for ready-to-eat foods?

• cook – is your reheated food steaming hot throughout?

• cover – have you kept leftovers covered to shield them against contamination from other foods?

• chill – were your leftovers refrigerated at 2-4^oC within 2 hours? How long have they been in your fridge?

WHENEVER IN DOUBT, THROW IT OUT!