Student tragically dies after eating leftover pasta

[DemocratSinceBirth]

A 20-year-old student from Belgium sadly lost his life after eating leftover pasta – and social media users are only just learning about the horrifying incident.

In 2008, a man only known as AJ, was poisoned after eating spaghetti he left on the counter for five days at room temperature. He added fresh tomato sauce to the pasta before reheating and eating it.

The Journal of Clinical Microbiology reported that the student became sick around 30 minutes after consuming the dish when he suffered from headaches, abdominal pain, and nausea.

When he arrived at the hospital, AJ was vomiting for several hours with bouts of diarrhoea. Sadly, he died the following day around 10 hours after eating the leftover pasta.

They later found that the pasta was contaminated with Bacillus cereus, a toxin caused by contaminated food.

...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/student-tragically-dies-after-eating-leftover-pasta/ar-AA1gFmvt

Who leaves pasta with sauce out for a week?

[PCIntern]

1. "Hard to believe, Harry"

(you have to be a Philadelphian to understand that expression. For decades, Richie Ashburn used to say that to Harry Kalas on Phillies games when something weird or unusual would happen during the game.)

Who would think that eating leftover food left for five days on the counter could possibly be bad for you?

just in case.

[NoRethugFriends]

8. one of my favorite expressions.

From back when the Phillies had good TV announcers rather than the current clowns, Ruben amaro excepted.

[Hortensis]

16. :) Reminds me that my husband, who somehow managed

to get through both HS and college without even one microscope class, at 83 somehow still doesn't really seem to believe -- in his gut -- that food bacteria are real even in our kitchen.

[2naSalit]

2. There was another...

A few years ago who ate pasta he made days prior and kept in the fridge. I think it's that they waited more than 24 hours. You should eat what you make in the initial serving or discard the rest. Leftover pasta is never a great thing after the next day. Sauce, sure, but not with the pasta or pasta by itself.

[JI7]

10. I find pasta usually tastes better the next day

[Sky Jewels]

11. I had leftover pesto pasta yesterday

It was delicious

[Sky Jewels]

18. I never eat any meat at all.

It totally grosses me out.

But, to each her own.

[haele]

15. Lasagna is the exception.

Bake it the day before, put in the fridge overnight, reheat and serve the next day.

Actually, the problem with leftover pasta is in the sauce and fillings other than the pasta, especially any veggies that are in the fillings. If not thoroughly cooked up to the correct heat, bacteria forms very quickly on tomato sauce and any veggies - people typically are more concerned about getting meat to the correct temperature than they are squashes, tomatoes, or mushrooms.

Mac and Cheese or Butter Noodles in the fridge never seems to be a problem until a week passes.

As it is, I will freeze leftover pasta dishes if I don't think I'm going to eat it all the next day. Mom says that's what they taught in Home Ec. back in her day. Fridge for day 1, Freezer in foil after that.

Haele

[ok_cpu]

23. Was the issue there that he left it in the pan?

Rather than transferring to another dish? My mom always told me not to store leftovers in the pan for that reason. Could have been an old myth.

[2naSalit]

28. From what I recall...

He stored it in a different dish and practiced food safety except for waiting to eat it.

Personally, I have let pasta dishes go two days in the fridge but it's food for the compost or disposal after that.

[LiberalFighter]

24. I've eaten leftover spaghetti and casserole for several days. No problem.

But I also refrigerate and keep it covered.

[2naSalit]

29. Same here...

But I am more skeptical after the first 24hrs.

After taking mandatory food safety classes when I started working in commercial kitchens, I'm more diligent about some things, like short term storage, than I was. And I must admit I have experienced food poisoning a good half dozen times, once or twice I did it all by myself so I pay attention to that sort of thing. I'm too old for vomiting events anymore, they're really rough on me and take days to recover from afterwards.

[Ritabert]

3. I think it can happen with rice too

Some guy died after eating rice that had been sitting out in the kitchen of a restaurant. I try to make just enough for one meal.

[madaboutharry]

5. I read that rice shouldn't sit out at room temperature for more than an hour.

It can be kept warm in a rice cooker for a couple of hours or else must be refrigerated.

[JI7]

7. What if they heat the rice before eating it ?

I think I have had rice like this many times. But it was made on the same day I ate it .

[eppur_se_muova]

21. That might kill some bacteria, but leaves most of the toxins they have already produced.

That's what happened to the guy who suffered multiple amputations after eating leftovers that were refrigerated only after standing out on the counter for hours.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2022/02/22/leftover-food-disease-amputated-legs-fingers/6890754001/

[Beakybird]

4. If pasta is prologue, this will happen again.

[BWdem4life]

12. Jokes are for non-serious matters

not death by food poisoning. He was someone's son.

[leftstreet]

9. +1

[BWdem4life]

13. I thought this one sounded familiar.

Didn't he try to save time by making himself a whole bunch of pre-made meals?

I do the same with pre-made snacks, but they are made of seeds and dried fruits - which do not spoil quickly.

I felt for him, even though at that age he should have probably known the food would go bad.

[2naSalit]

30. I think that was the one...

I had mentioned, he stored it properly but the time frame was too long. I think he was a student.

I didn't know that about pasta, I just knew that you didn't make more than you needed in a day, even in a restaurant. I wasn't clear on why.

[Sneederbunk]

17. Someone who is anti-pasta.

[intheflow]

19. Who leaves pasta with sauce out for a week?

20 year old in their first apartment after a parent did all the cooking and cleaning growing for him growing up.

[ms liberty]

20. I know. That story made me want to hurl. The moral of the story

For the idiots in the cheap seats, is:
Container and refrigerate your food ASAP upon finishing your meal.
Only reheat what you're going to eat at that sitting, and leave the rest refrigerated.
Throw out remainder in a timely fashion. The number of days to keep something varies for different foods. I'm pretty picky, but I love leftovers, so I almost never have anything to throw out. I toss after 3 to 4 days.

Those are rules I've known practically my whole life. It seems impossible someone did not know any of these things. When I read that story, my first thought was how could someone chew and swallow that, it must have tasted horrible. Blech. Ugh. Ick.

[eppur_se_muova]

22. From the CDC:

Prevention

If food is to be stored longer than two hours, keep hot foods hot (over 140°F) and cold foods cold (40°F or under)
Store cooked food in a wide, shallow container and refrigerate as soon as possible.

https://www.foodsafety.gov/food-poisoning/bacteria-and-viruses#bacillus-cereus

[Jim__]

25. Left over and left out for 5 days.

After 5 days, I think the deterioration would be visible.

[Blues Heron]

26. sometimes the FSM reaches out his noodly appendage and brings a meatball home

R`amen.

[Sympthsical]

27. This sounds like a ChubbyEmu video

He does food ones sometimes, like the five day old sushi one.

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