Is it still safe to eat tofu skin (yuba) that has been soaked for a full day and night?
Nov 14, 2024
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Yang Ziqi
Introduction
If the dried tofu skin (fu zhu) has been soaked in a refrigerator under low temperature conditions and in clean water, effectively inhibiting bacterial growth, it may still be safe to consume. However, if during soaking the dried tofu skin was exposed to high ambient temperatures, the soaking water was not changed for an extended period, or the product itself was of poor quality—leading to bacterial proliferation—then such tofu skin should not be eaten.
Generally speaking, if dried tofu skin (yuba) has been soaked for a full day and night but shows no signs of spoilage, it may still be consumed in moderation; however, if it has spoiled, it should not be eaten. The analysis is as follows:
If the dried tofu skin was soaked under refrigerated, low-temperature conditions with clean water, bacterial growth may have been effectively inhibited, making it potentially safe to consume. Even after prolonged soaking, if the tofu skin shows no unpleasant odor, sourness, mold, or abnormal color changes, it may not yet be seriously contaminated or spoiled.
However, if during soaking the environment was too warm, the soaking water was not changed for an extended period, or the original quality of the tofu skin was poor—leading to bacterial proliferation—and noticeable spoilage occurs, such as foul smell, discoloration, or soft, mushy texture, then the tofu skin should not be consumed. Even if there are no obvious visual abnormalities, excessively long soaking times can cause the texture to become overly soft and mushy, diminishing its original taste and negatively affecting the eating experience.
In daily life, it is recommended to carefully control the soaking time of dried tofu skin and avoid soaking it for too long to prevent spoilage.
