How long do leftovers really last? And other holiday food safety questions, answered [Video]

For many, the holiday season means tucking into big meals with friends and family who gather to celebrate.

But once the dinner ends, attention turns to packing away leftovers.

Every year, one in eight Canadians — about four million — are affected by a food-borne illness. Of these, there are 11,600 hospitalizations and more than 230 deaths, the Public Health Agency of Canada estimated.

The prospect of leftovers can stir debate: How long does cooked food last for? Will old pasta really kill you? And do you really need to throw out hard cheese that’s started to grow mould, or is it fine to just cut those bits off and eat the rest?

To save you the hassle — and the fight — CBC News put those questions and more to Canadian food scientists. Here’s what they said.

Can I leave cooked food out on the counter for a week, as …