component i role name affiliation principal investigator

Paper: Quantity Food Production Module :- H06QF32 Utilization of Leftovers Name of the content writer-: Dr. S. Deena

Component – I

Role Name Affiliation Principal Investigator

Dr. N. Vasugi Raaja Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, Coimbatore

Co-Principal Investigators Dr. G. Bagyalakshmi Mrs. E. Indira Dr. K. Arockia Maraichelvi Dr. G. Baradha

Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, Coimbatore

Paper Coordinator Dr. S. Uma Mageshwari Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, Coimbatore

Content Writer Dr. S. Deena Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, Coimbatore

Content Reviewer Dr. Dorothy Jaganathan Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, Coimbatore

Language Editor Dr. S. Deena Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, Coimbatore

Component-I (B) Description of Module

Items Description of Module Subject Name Home Science Paper Name Quantity Food Production Module Name Utilisation of Left overs Module ID H06QF32 Pre-requisites

Objectives

Keywords


QUANTITY FOOD PRODUCTION

H06QF32- UTILIZATION OF LEFTOVERS

1. INTRODUCTION

The uneaten edible remains of a meal after the meal is over and everyone has finished eating are

called as leftovers. Scraps of food such as bones or the skins of some vegetables and fruits that

are not edible are considered as waste material. Any other remaining edible portion constitutes

the leftovers. Factors such as the place where the meal was eaten, the preferences of the diner

and the existing social culture have to be considered in dealing with leftovers. Hotels can obtain

financial as well as environmental benefits by adopting few simple steps to waste less and

recycle more and by working out the cost of food waste to the business. Each time food is

wasted, the water, energy, time, manpower, land, fertilizer, fuel, packaging and money utilized

for growing, preparing, storing, transporting and cooking the food is wasted.

2. OBJECTIVES After completion of this topic you will be able to understand

• the ways of dealing with leftovers • creative ways of utilization of leftover food • leftovers and food safety • new habits developed by hotels to reduce leftovers and their benefits

3. UTILIZATION OF LEFTOVERS Leftovers at home are generally saved to be eaten later. Leftover foods can be stored in airtight

containers and refrigerated. Some of the leftover food can be eaten cold from the refrigerator,

while other foods can be reheated in a microwave or mixed with other ingredients and re-cooked

to make a new dish.

Leftovers are used to make new dishes which are quite common in world cuisine. Such new

cuisines were created very early in the days before refrigerators and airtight containers existed.

In hotel kitchens, nutrients are extracted from inedible bones in the form of stocks and broths.

These stocks and broths can be used as a base for adding leftover morsels of food that are too

small to be a meal in themselves. Leftovers can also be used in the preparation of casseroles,

fried rice, shepherd’s pie and pizza.


Instead of just throwing away leftover food, the best way to extract value from a meal is to

utilize every bit of it. This not only helps to reduce waste but also helps to reduce the cost per

meal. The only problem with this is that leftover food is not very tasty for the palate so it has to

be efficiently reused.

3.1. Leftovers in hotel A large portion of the waste produced in hotels and lodging facilities comprises of food waste.

Some of the reasons which lead to accumulation of food waste are over preparation, table scraps,

cooking losses and packaging failures. The steps involved in creating food waste reduction

program may involve the following steps:

• The executive chef will monitor the food inventory, the amount of food per meal and the

percent of waste per meal. This helped to reduce the quantity of food waste.

• The executive chef will regularly check the amount and type of food commonly disposed

in the recycling containers and will determine the foods that could be reused and help to

decide how to revise the food preparation procedures to reduce food waste.

• Some fine dining restaurants employ food controllers whose duty will be to check

spoilage and wastage of food, which will help in cutting costs.

3.2. Effective ways of reusing leftover food and beverages Some of the ways by which left over food and beverages can be effectively reused is given

below:

3.2.1. Leftover Beverages The following are some of the ways by which leftover beverages such as soda and mixers can be

used:

• Leftover cola can be used in the preparation of barbecue sauce. A sweet, tangy barbecue

sauce can be obtained after the cola and other ingredients are simmered together. This

sauce will last for several months if stored in the refrigerator.

• Leftover dark sodas can be used in the preparation of thick and flavorful sauces.

• Leftover Sprite, 7 Up or some other brand of lemon-lime soda, can be used to make

delicious, flaky biscuits. The clear, citrus soda adds flavor, lightness and mild sweetness

to the biscuits.


• Citrus soda can be used to prevent fruits from browning reaction. Cut fruits can be soaked

in the soda to maintain freshness in the preparation of fruit salad. However use of citrus

soda will increase the sugar content of the fruit salad.

• Leftover coffee can be used instead of water in cake batter in preparing a cake, especially

chocolate cake or brownies for a little added flavor.

• Leftover coffee can also be combined with milk, cream, eggs and sugar to make coffee

ice-cream.

3.2.2. Leftover Bread

• Leftover slices of bread can be used to make French toast for breakfast. The moisture in

the batter used to prepare French toast and the heat used to cook it helps to soften the

bread in addition to giving flavor.

• Leftover slices of bread can be used to make bread pudding.

• They can also be diced and used to prepare croutons for salads or soups.

3.2.3. Leftover Cheese

• Left over cheese can be used to make a cheese sauce called Fromage Fort. This sauce can

be made by combining left over cheese, salt, pepper, garlic and a little white wine. This

can be put on crackers which is a baked good typically made from flour or melted on

cheese toast.

• Left over rinds of Parmesan cheese can be used to enhance the flavor of soups.

• All the left over cheese can be melted together and used to make fondue which is a hot

dish made of melted cheese and wine and eaten with bread.

3.2.4. Leftover meat and poultry

• Left over carcass of chicken/beef/pork can be simmered with some vegetables to make

chicken stock/beef stock/pork stock.

• Leftover chicken can be cut into small strips and served with lettuce, tomatoes,

mayonnaise sauce, shredded cheese, salsa (a tomato-based spicy sauce) and tortillas (a

thin, flat maize pancake, eaten hot or cold with a savoury filling) to make tasty wraps.

• Leftover steak (high-quality beef taken from the hindquarters of the animal cut into thick

slices that are cooked by grilling or frying) which has become very tough can be


revitalized and tenderized by making beef stew with it. As the stew will be simmered

slowly, the meat will be tenderized and made juicy and succulent again.

• Leftover steak can be cut into small pieces and to this a can of kidney beans can be added

along with a can of diced tomatoes, a can of tomato juice and chilli powder. This can be

simmered for one to two hours and eaten.

• The leftover meat loaf can be cut into small cubes and to this a can of tomato sauce, little

basil and oregano can be added and then allowed to simmer. Some boiled pasta can be

added to this mixture.

• The liquid from the leftover beef stew can be drained off and the remaining meat and

vegetables can be ground using a food processor. This mixture can be scrambled with

eggs to make a tasty scrambled egg dish.

• Leftover ham can be chopped into small bite-size pieces, put into a pot and to this

chopped potatoes and green beans can be added along with water and salt and pepper to

taste. This mixture should be simmered for one to two hours to make a delicious soup.

3.2.5. Leftover pot roast (a piece of meat cooked slowly in a covered dish)

• Normally there will be abundant left over after cooking a pot roast with onions, carrots,

celery and potatoes. Instead of reheating the left over pot roast, the vegetables can be put

into a food processor with some of the broth and made into a puree. To this mixture bread

crumbs can be added and patties which are small flat cakes of minced meat are formed

from it. The patties are then cooked in a frying pan over medium heat with little oil until

they are light brown on both sides. A little cheese can be added to the mixture but it is

optional.

3.2.6. Leftover ice cream

• Leftover ice cream can be mixed with some self-rising flour to make delicious

muffins which are small domed spongy cake made with eggs and baking powder.

• Leftover hard candies can be used to make flavored vodka by soaking the candies in

vodka overnight.


3.2.7. Leftover fruits and vegetables

• Leftover pulp after the preparation of fresh juices can be combined with water, cinnamon

and ginger, simmered and strained to make a healthy, flavorful fruit tea.

• Leftover pulp of fruit juices can be added in baking of muffins, cakes and cookies for

added texture and flavor.

• Leftover citrus peel scraps can be used to season stews and tomato sauces.

• Leftover pulp of vegetables can be baked to make veggie crackers.

• Leftover bits of chopped vegetables can be simmered to make vegetable stock.

• Leftover mashed potatoes can be frozen in small amounts in paper bags and can be used

in recipes instead of flour. In any recipe one part mashed potatoes can be used with two

parts flour.

• Leftover fruits can be put in a blender with some soy milk, peanut butter and made into

exceptional smoothies. A smoothie is a thick smooth drink consisting of fresh fruit

pureed with ice cream or yoghurt or milk.

3.2.8. Leftover spaghetti

• Leftover spaghetti can be chopped into small pieces and mixed with the sauce. This

mixture can be poured into a loaf pan, coated with a layer of mozzarella cheese and

baked in the oven at 3500 until the cheese just begins to turn brown.

3.2.9. Leftover rice

• The leftover rice can be mixed with pancake batter to make pancakes. A pancake is a

thin, flat cake of batter, fried on both sides in a pan and rolled up with a sweet or savoury

filling.

4.1. Leftover foods to be re-used in a buffet All hotels should calculate the requirements for the day. Three months after beginning

operations, a hotel can experiment by the addition of one kilo to the quantity ordered of each

food item till an optimum level is reached. Any other perishable product is ordered according to

need. In case 20 chickens are marinated and 14-15 are sold, the rest can be sent to the Quick

Service Restaurant where rolls, kebabs and sandwiches will be served between 7 pm and 8 pm.


However during festival period there may be wastage of food as it is difficult to estimate the

footfall at that time.

4.2. Leftovers and Food Safety Food should be cooked to a safe temperature and the leftovers should be refrigerated

promptly in order to ensure that leftovers are safe to eat. The two main causes of food borne

illness are not cooking food to a safe temperature and leaving food out at an unsafe temperature.

Leftovers should be handled safely in order to reduce food borne illness.

Some of the points to be noted in handling leftovers and food safety:

4.2.1. Food should be cooked safely The first step in having safe leftovers is cooking the food safely. A food thermometer should be

used to ensure that the food is cooked to a safe, minimum internal temperature.

Red meats: Raw beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks, chops and roasts should be cooked to

a minimum internal temperature of 145° F. The temperature should be measured with a

food thermometer before removing the meat from heat. For safety and quality, meat

should be allowed to rest for at least three minutes before being carved or consumed.

Ground meats: Raw ground beef, pork, lamb and veal should be cooked to an internal

temperature of 160° F.

Poultry: Poultry should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165° F.

4.2.2. Food should be kept out of the Danger Zone The ideal temperature for bacterial growth is between 40° F and 140° F. Once food is safely

cooked, hot food must be kept hot at 140° F to prevent bacterial growth. Leftovers must be

refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking the food. All perishable foods that have been left at room

temperature for more than 2 hours should be discarded. Cold perishable food, for example

chicken salad should be kept at 40° F or below. When food is served at a buffet, hot foods should

be kept hot in chafing dishes and cold foods in bowls of ice. Cold leftovers that have been left

out for more than 2 hours at room temperature should be discarded.

4.2.3. Food should be cooled rapidly After cooking it is important to cool food rapidly to a temperature of 40° F or below in order to

prevent growth of bacteria. This can be done by dividing large amounts of food into small


portions and placing in shallow containers. Similarly large items of food like whole roasts or

hams can be cut or sliced into smaller portions to cool. Hot foods can be rapidly chilled in an ice

or cold water bath and then refrigerated.

4.2.4. Leftover foods should be wrapped well Leftover foods should be wrapped in airtight packaging or sealed in storage containers. This

helps to prevent bacterial growth, helps to retain moisture and also helps to prevent leftovers

from picking up odors from other foods in the refrigerator. The wrapped leftover foods should be

refrigerated or frozen immediately for rapid cooling.

4.2.5. Leftovers should be stored safely Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or in the freezer for 3 to 4 months.

However frozen leftover foods can lose moisture and flavor when stored for longer period of

time.

4.2.6. Frozen leftovers should be thawed safely Leftovers can be thawed safely by three ways- in the refrigerator, using cold water or in the

microwave oven.

The longest time taken to thaw is in the refrigerator but the leftovers stay safe the entire time.

After thawing, the food should be used within 3 to 4 days or can be refrozen. The frozen

leftovers must be kept in a leak-proof package or plastic bag. In case there is leakage of the bag,

water can get into the food and bacteria from the air could enter it.

The time taken to thaw using cold water is faster than the refrigerator but it requires more

attention. Foods that are thawed by the cold water method should be cooked before refreezing.

The fastest method of thawing is by microwave. When thawing leftover foods in a microwave, it

should be heated until it reaches 165° F. Foods thawed in the microwave can be refrozen after

heating it to this safe temperature.

4.2.7. Leftovers should not be reheated without thawing

Frozen leftover foods can be safely reheated without thawing, in a saucepan or oven or

microwave. However the time taken for reheating the food will be longer than if the food is

thawed first.


4.2.8. Leftovers should be reheated safely Leftover foods when reheated should reach 165° F as measured with a food thermometer.

Sauces, soups and gravies should be reheated by bringing them to a rolling boil. Leftovers should

be covered while reheating. This helps to retain moisture and ensures that food will heat all the

way through. When food is reheated in the microwave, it should be covered and rotated for even

heating. The food items should be arranged evenly in a covered glass or ceramic dish and some

liquid can be added if required. The moist heat that is created will help to destroy harmful

bacteria and will ensure that the food is cooked evenly. The temperature of the food should be

checked in several places with a food thermometer and a resting time should be allowed before

the internal temperature of the food is checked with a food thermometer. The cooking time is

longer in dense foods such as a whole turkey or beef roast than in less dense foods like breads,

small vegetables and fruits.

4.2.9. Refreezing Previously Frozen Leftovers Sometimes there are leftover "leftovers." The food remaining after reheating to a temperature of

165° F can be refrozen safely. In case only a portion of the frozen leftover food is required, the

entire food can be thawed in the refrigerator and the required portion can be removed and the rest

be refrozen without reheating.

5.1. Developing new habits by hotels to reduce leftovers Buffets and in-room dining is an integral part of the hospitality experience. But all the leftovers

once guests have finished eating will be hauled off to landfills at a great cost to the establishment

and an even greater cost to the environment. To combat this situation hotels have started

developing new habits to reduce leftovers.

5.1.1. Reducing food waste The first step a hotel can take is reduction in the amount of food produced. Reduction in portions

of food will play an important role in reduction of waste.

5.1.2. Using Food Inventory Techniques

Reduction in food cost can be brought about by reducing waste of perishable food which in turn

can be achieved by adopting an organized inventory process.


5.1.3. Composting and Donating Edible Food Most of the hotels have their own composting systems. In case leftover food is to be donated it

has to be ensured that food meets safety standards.

5.1.4. Working with Suppliers and Vendors Reduction in food cost and subsequently reduction in food waste can be achieved by substituting

special ingredients with alternatives.

5.1.5. Training of Staff All the employees should be given training and food waste reduction can be made a part of their

job description. The training that can be imparted to staff in hotels can include:

• Conduct of workshops by environmental waste management companies to educate hotel

staff and committee members

• Incorporation of information and policies into training and hotel orientation

• Making the reduction of food waste a priority

• Change in the size of serving and garnishes

• Conduct of audits of various areas to ensure that proper recycling procedures are followed

5.2. Benefits of reducing leftovers

5.2.1. Environmental Benefits

• If left over food is not utilized effectively and if wasted and thrown in with the landfill it

will rot and become a major source of methane gas.

• By reducing wasted food, it is possible to reduce greenhouse gas emission as 14% of

greenhouse gases are associated with growing, manufacturing, transporting and disposing

of food.

5.2.2. Economic Benefits

• If the amount of food wasted is decreased hotels need to pay less for the disposal of their

trash.

• If food waste is prevented, hotels can reduce their costs by purchasing only the food that

will be used. This in turn will also help to increase efficiency of staff and reduce the

amount of energy and labour associated with the disposal process.


5.2.3. Social Benefit

• Hotels can donate safe and healthy leftover food to feed those in need.

6. Conclusion

The output of waste is increasing at an alarming rate and studies indicate that 40% of the

accumulated waste is brought on by food. It has been found that food waste emits 20%-25% of

carbon dioxide, which contributes to global warming. The control of food waste should be

directed at the hospitality sector, more significantly the hotel segment. The hotel industry has

realized the need for a more sustainable environment and has taken steps to reduce food waste.

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