Question
Q
I left a pot of soup out after dinner last night; I went to bed and forgot about it. Is it safe to eat if I boil the soup really hard for a long time?
Answer(s)
A
No, the food should be thrown away. Eating food left out overnight is a real gamble. Some microorganisms survive reheating and other organisms produce a toxin that is not destroyed by reheating. Bacteria grows rapidly between 40 and 140 degrees F. A good rule of thumb is never leave food at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Other Questions In This Topic
- How long can I keep meat, poultry, vegetables, etc. in the freezer?
- How do I get rid of the flour weevils that I have in my kitchen without destroying all of my boxed mixes, etc. I know I've got to spray something but is there anything that will leave the food safe for consumption?
- Can a Person safely eat the head of any venomous snake? If not, why?
- I have a recipe for chili sauce that has tomatoes, onion, sugar, and spices. After it has cooked down, I just put it in hot jars and put the canning lids on. Is that okay, or do I need to process in a boiling water bath?
- Is it safe to store food in their cans in the refrigerator?
- Do habanero peppers ripen on the vine?
- Is there a way to can something that has cooked eggs in it (like lemon curd) and store it safely, unrefridgerated, like bottled jam. (Not just storing it for 2-3 weeks in the fridge.)
- what is the best way to clean whole wheat? I am living in Korea and have purchased some wheat that appears to need cleaning, but I don't know how to do it/