How long can your Christmas remains be eaten safely?

As food is usually plentiful, the best way to prolong Christmas is often to enjoy leftovers during the new year.

But how long is too long to continue devouring your party?

According to Lydia Buchtmann of the Food Safety Information Council, the answer depends on how the food is stored and how.

"It's really risky (to eat) if the seafood has been left outside for more than two hours, do not do it," she told 3AW.

However, tips differ between meats and food groups.

"If you have an entire Christmas ham on the bone, it will stay two weeks," she says.

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However, the timing is not the only element to take into account to ensure that Christmas dinners are not dangerous to eat.

With many leftovers, the basic rule of keeping hot food warm and cold food cold should be followed to the letter.

Meat should be placed directly in the refrigerator to avoid the risk of food falling into the "temperature danger zone" where the bacteria are growing.

The "dangerous temperature zone" occurs when the food stays between five and sixty degrees Celsius. If she stays there for more than four hours, she is considered dangerous.

For the chicken, it must be fully cooked, until the juice is clear, and kept at 60 degrees Celsius or warmer when serving.

Separate cutting boards should be used when preparing chicken alongside other foods. Raw chicken should not be washed as this can increase the risk of cross-contamination.

The leftovers should be reheated until they are steamed and stored in the refrigerator once the chicken stops steaming and must be consumed within 48 hours.