When should I throw out my Thanksgiving leftovers?
AUSTIN, Texas - If you're still gobbling up those turkey leftovers, the clock is ticking until it turns fowl.
"Once you put your leftovers in the refrigerator, just remember that you've got four days," said Jesse Garcia, a public affairs specialist for the USDA Food Safety & Inspection Service.
Cyber Monday is the deadline to decide if the food is headed to the trash or freezer, or making one last go around at the table.
"On that Monday after Thanksgiving, just know that if you do freeze your leftovers, you've got four to six months for best quality," said Garcia. "Food stays, when frozen, safe indefinitely, but the quality goes down."
If you go the route of freezing leftovers, they'll need to be reheated to a safe temperature before consuming.
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"Any type of leftovers should be reheated to 165 degrees using a food thermometer," said Garcia.
How and when you put the food back up in the fridge is just as important.
"Remember that you don't want food out for too long at room temperature," said Garcia. "What we call the danger zone between forty degrees and 140 degrees. So make sure that your food is placed in small containers in the refrigerator before it hits that two-hour mark," said Garcia."
If you have any concerns about the recent listeria outbreaks and recalls, check .
"You can get information on recalls, what to do with suspected products, and information on symptoms," said Garcia. "As always, if you suspect you've come down with food-borne illness and symptoms are severe, please seek medical attention."
The Source: Information in this report came from the USDA.