Leftovers are the glue that holds together a weekly meal plan. Having food that can quickly be eaten from one meal to the next is what keeps schedules less stressful and the grocery bill balanced. It’s just an added bonus that the bowl of last night’s spaghetti and meat sauce hits the spot any night of the week. But what if that pasta is harboring some pretty nasty bacteria that can make you really sick?  

After a 2008 news story about a 20-year-old college student dying from eating leftover pasta resurfaced on TikTok, social media users are worried that their days-old food might not be safe to eat. The illness that’s caused by eating leftovers, known as “fried rice syndrome,” has garnered plenty of attention on TikTok, with creators raking in millions of views for explaining its dangers. 

Which begs the question: Which leftovers can be dangerous? Why? And are there any ways to avoid or minimize the risk of foodborne illness?

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