See how long cooked food stays safe in the fridge.
Refrigerated shelf life for cooked food is governed by how long bacteria take to reach unsafe numbers, and three things control that. The food itself sets the baseline: cooked rice and pasta get only two days because Bacillus cereus spores survive cooking and produce a toxin that reheating does not destroy, while cooked meat and stews get four. Fridge temperature is the second factor, and it is steep — growth roughly doubles for every few degrees above 5 C, so a fridge running at 8 C loses most of the nominal storage life. The third is the two-hour rule: food left in the danger zone above 5 C for more than two hours before chilling should be discarded rather than saved.
Safe storage days
Days = baseline x temperature factor x container factor
Two-hour rule
More than 2 hours above 5 C before chilling means discard, regardless of the calculation
General food safety guidance, not a substitute for judgement or professional advice. Actual safe storage depends on your fridge temperature, how fast the food was cooled, cross-contamination and handling. You cannot detect the bacteria and toxins that cause foodborne illness by smell, sight or taste. When in any doubt, discard the food, and follow your national food safety authority's current advice.
Bacillus cereus forms heat-resistant spores that survive cooking. Once the grain cools they germinate and produce a toxin that reheating will not destroy, because the toxin itself is heat stable. Cool cooked rice fast, refrigerate within an hour, and use it within two days.
Best practice is once. Every cooling and reheating cycle puts the food back through the temperature range where bacteria multiply. Portion leftovers into single servings before refrigerating so you only reheat what you will eat, and heat it to steaming hot throughout.