Here's When You Should Stop Eating That Leftover Pizza

Leftover pizza can be a quick and convenient meal, but if you aren't careful, you could get exposed to foodborne illness through improper storage or by waiting too long to eat it.

Cheese shouldn't be at room temperature for more than two hours, so any pizza left out for that long should be trashed. Even if refrigerated, it should be eaten within four days.

This is because room temperature falls in food's "danger zone," which is the range between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit where food is most susceptible to bacteria growth.

To keep leftover pizza as fresh as possible during that four-day window, refrigerate it within two hours of receiving it, and ensure it's well-wrapped in cling-film or foil.

If you freeze it, make sure to wrap it, or put it in an airtight container to prevent freezer burn. Thaw it in the refrigerator, not on the counter, because bacteria could grow.