Chicken soup left out overnight

[LindaZ]

Handwashing demonstration in the third floor Mens in 20 minutes.

I watched a couple of nursing school candidates who couldn't wash their hands correctly, I think they went on to other degrees and are working at a fast food restaurant now.

I believe it!

 

[CharlieD]

As always let me be the only one who disagrees. Depends on size of the pot, on the time it was left out, on the time it was dicovered. I often leave the soup pot out till the morning to cool.

 

[roadfix]

Use common sense and let time and temperature be the guide.....but of course, the level of common sense differs from person to person...

 

[taxlady]

... Poultry carries salmonella as a natural bacteria to help digest the grain they eat, it can stick around and/or be transferred to the food if preparation and refrigeration is not done carefully. ...

I couldn't find anything that indicates that salmonella aids in the digestion of grain in poultry. I know that doesn't prove it. If anyone has any references to this I would be curious to see.

I doubt that it is necessary to digestion in poultry. Sweden has the lowest rate of salmonella in the EU. They test for salmonella in poultry and poultry poop and destroy infected flocks.

They still have a poultry industry.

 

[roadfix]

It also depends on your comfort level with consuming poultry. Yakitori houses, for instance, and even some here in the U.S. serve chicken sashimi (sushi grade) where health codes allow.

 

[Kathleen]

38-40 degrees is the recommended refrigeration temp for storing food - that's probably why you didn't die. If you check your home fridge it is probably the same temp - I have a digital readout on mine that keeps the temp at 38 degrees. Without sounding like a pretentious know it all, and I'm not picking on anyone here - everyone please refrigerate your food. It slows the growth of the bacteria that will make you sick especially with poultry items. Poultry carries salmonella as a natural bacteria to help digest the grain they eat, it can stick around and/or be transferred to the food if preparation and refrigeration is not done carefully. Please don't eat food left out at room temp for longer than 3-4 hours. Restaurant food brought home should be consumed within 24 hours after refrigerating it. If it's not eaten - throw it out. Whose hands have touched it and how long did it sit around before you got it? I'm an old hospital infection control nurse - such horror stories I could tell you about food left out for long periods and then consumed. It's not a pretty picture. I know no one wants to waste food, but there are limits of safety and they really should not be taken lightly. We are not at the top of the food chain - the bacteria are - is? I could do a disseration on handwashing too, but I'll save that for another post. *she steps down off her soap box*

You sound like an infections control nurse....oh, that's right...

 

[Kayelle]

Use common sense and let time and temperature be the guide.....but of course, the level of common sense differs from person to person...

You are so right there, Roadfix. Common sense is not so common.

It always amazes me how often this question is asked by someone who drops in to ask "should I throw it out"?
Of course you should throw it out, you are not starving are you?
I think of the millions upon millions of people in the third world who have to eat dangerous food because they simply don't own refrigerators. That thought alone should make us all more respectful of taking care of our food before it becomes poison.

 

[kberry]

When in doubt, Throw it out!

 

[jennyema]

As always let me be the only one who disagrees. Depends on size of the pot, on the time it was left out, on the time it was dicovered. I often leave the soup pot out till the morning to cool.

The size of the pot doesn't matter.

The temperature of the food is what matters. If its temperature is between 40 and 140 for more than 2 hours it's considered unsafe. One might go past thieve hour rule, but overnight is a no brained: toss it.

 

[Kayelle]

What she said........^

Again, I think those who feel differently are at least inadvertently promoting dangerous practices on a public forum.

 

[CharlieD]

The size of the pot doesn't matter.

The temperature of the food is what matters. If its temperature is between 40 and 140 for more than 2 hours it's considered unsafe. One might go past thieve hour rule, but overnight is a no brained: toss it.

Allow me to disagree one more time. The size of the pot directly affects the temperature of the foods inside. If pot is 8 or 10 quarts, the size I prefer and use the most, it will take much longer to cool down than a 3 quart pot, for example, that my mother uses on the regular bases. I would not leave 3 quart pot seating out all night because it would be cold enough for bacteria to build in the matter of an hour or two. When I leave my pot of soup out it is still hot, warm enough to eat in the morning.

 

[CharlieD]

What she said........^

Again, I think those who feel differently are at least inadvertently promoting dangerous practices on a public forum.

That is why it is the Public forum so Everybody can voice their opinion.

 

[jennyema]

That is why it is the Public forum so Everybody can voice their opinion.

I think you have said before that you don't have any facts or science to back up your opinions on food safety. That might concern people.

 

[FrankZ]

Charlie,

I am curious, when you leave a large pot of soup out over night have you checked the temperature in the morning? Since a warm feeling soup can be below 140f it could be in the danger zone, and without monitoring there is likely no way to tell how long it might have been there.

 

[Andy M.]

We've been arguing amongst ourselves on this topic for a few days as we always do when this topic comes up. The OP has not acknowledged reading any of this since starting the thread.

While there is the possibility, for a variety of reasons, that you could eat foods left out overnight without problems, the odds are not in your favor and you risk illness (potentially serious) if you do.

I definitely would not eat anything left out overnight at room temperature. I don't want to risk the illness.

See you all again when someone else posts a similar question.

 

[FrankZ]

See you all again when someone else posts a similar question.

See ya in a week Andy.

 

[CharlieD]

I think you have said before that you don't have any facts or science to back up your opinions on food safety. That might concern people.

We were talking about amoun versus temp, me leaving soup out that is totally different story.

 

[CharlieD]

See ya in a week Andy.

You are probably right

 

[mozart]

Whenever I leave something on the counter to cool in the evening, I leave a light on in the kitchen so I won't forget and leave it out all night.

I'm a lot older than you, I believe, so even the light won't help. I set the timer on the stove for 1 hour. When it goes off, the food goes in the cooler.

 

[GB]

You are basing your opinion on your past experience Charlie. You have done this before and not gotten sick. That does not make it safe though. You have just been lucky. A person can drive for 30 years without a seat belt and never get into an accident. That does not mean it is a safe practice and that it should be recommended. Those who are suggesting it is not safe are doing so based on sound scientific evidence. No one is saying that if you leave your food out then you will absolutely get sick, but it certainly increases the risk and when the risk can include death then it is a pretty serious thing.