Expert issues urgent warning about storing hummus in fridge
Topics: Food and Drink, Health
Britt Jones
Featured Image Credit: Johner Images/Jamie Grill/Getty Images
Topics: Food and Drink, Health
Hummus lovers aren’t going to like this new warning by an expert, who has lifted the lid on storing leftovers in the fridge.
I know, hummus should be stored in the fridge - it’s bought from the fridge section and is a dip, so where else would you store it if not there?
The thing is, it’s not necessarily about how you store it, as much as it is about for how long.
Sadly, hummus doesn’t typically last longer than a few days in any household, and experts have come out to warn that you’re storing your hummus for too long, and it could have awful consequences for your health.
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The back of most packaging of hummus will read: "Once open, consume within two days."
However, if you think stretching it to day three, you might get more than you bargained for.
Microbiologist Dr Primrose Freestone, from the University of Leicester, spoke to The Telegraph about being lax with the two-day rule.
She said: "The thing is, once you open the lid, airborne bacteria will start to settle on top of the dip. It is then only a matter of time before contamination by germs happens and food poisoning becomes a possibility."
Dr Freestone explained that the microorganisms in dips receive a ‘shot of oxygen’ as soon as we open the package and then it’ll ‘grow rapidly’.
This means that even if you can’t see it, your bacteria and fungi friend inside of your hummus is multiplying as it sits in your fridge.
But the worst offender would be if you left it outside of the fridge, as Dr Freestone explained that temps under 5C can see the bacteria skyrocket.
This type of food storing can lead to food poisoning.
According to UK Research and Innovation, around 2.4 million people are struck down by food poisoning every year.
Having a bout of a bad case of food poisoning can knock you back for a few days, but as Better Health notes, this could be much worse and even fatal for pregnant women, young children, the elderly and those with a chronic illness.
Dr Freestone shared that those who are in vulnerable groups should keep clear of any dip that isn’t ‘stored correctly’ due the possibility of listeria, which can come about in just 48 hours.
If you’ve been rawdogging dips without getting a case of the funny tummies, she explained that you’ve probably got a ‘robust immune system’.
If you want your dips to remain fresh, you should refrigerate it immediately and avoid decanting the product in case of contamination.
She explains that if your dips colour changes, it becomes separated, or develops a sour taste, the best thing you can do is chuck it.