Food myths debunked

There is so much conflicting information about what is and isn't a good idea when it comes to food. We have debunked some of the most common misunderstandings about nutrition and food safety

Q: Is it true that you should thoroughly defrost all frozen food before cooking?
Yes it is. This is because, if you don't, you run the risk of not being able to cook the food evenly all the way through. Often, food that seems to be defrosted is still partially frozen on the inside meaning that bacteria or parasites are not killed off by cooking. The exception to this is when manufacturers of packaged foods say 'cook from frozen' and then it is important to make sure the food is thoroughly cooked through.

Q: Is it safe to re-heat rice?
It is important to store cooked rice properly in the fridge for no more than a day. Cooking rice doesn't always kill off spores of the bacteria Bacillus cereus and when the rice is then left at room temperature these bacteria can start to multiply. Re-heating doesn't kill them and this can lead to vomiting and diarrhoea.

Q: Is fresh always better than frozen?
In the case of vegetables they can be on display on the shop shelves for too long which reduces the levels of vitamins. On the other hand, frozen vegetables are frozen at the point of picking which preserves essential vitamins. So it is not unusual for frozen produce to be better than fresh.

Q: Are 'raw foods' always better for you?
Some raw food in the diet, such as fresh fruit, salads and vegetable sticks are a valuable part of the diet. However, while they are a fantastic source of vitamins, some nutrients are more available to the human body for absorption when cooked.

In particular, beta-carotene found in carrots and other orange and yellow coloured vegetables, and a related antioxidant called lycopene (which has been shown to be protective against some cancers) found in tomatoes, are much more absorbable when cooked. It is important to have a balanced diet and to include some raw and some cooked foods throughout the day.

Q: Should you always stick to the 'use by' date on foods?
Highly perishable packaged foods should always have a 'use by' date and the food should be eaten by then or thrown away (unless you freeze it beforehand, when you should follow the advice on your freezer about maximum times). Less perishable products such as dried or canned foods will say 'best before' rather than 'use by'.

Q: Is it true that dried foods can't go off?
Foods that are dried include beans, pasta, grains (rice, corn, etc), flour, dried fruit and others. Generally, the storage dates on packaged foods are a year or so, but in practice if they are hermetically sealed then most will last a lot longer (though flours and dried fruit are more susceptible to spoiling).

Beans will become tougher and more difficult to cook over time. Dried foods will generally not spoil easily if they are properly dried, but will do so if they come into contact with moisture when bacteria can get a hold quite quickly. Always check any dried food that has been stored for a while for signs of spoiling. Dried yeast is the most susceptible to damage as it is 'live' and does not last more than a year or so.