Chicken soup left out overnight

[FrankZ]

The last couple of times I made stock I let it cool for about 15 minutes then ice bathed it. I was able to drop the temp over 100F in 10 minutes, so when I stuck it in the fridge I didn't have a huge heat sink sitting there.

It really is amazing how fast you can cool a 8 or 10qt pot with ice water.

 

[Andy M.]

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.

I guess your hearing is better than mine. I'm 66 YO and cheap enough to not go to bed with a light burning.

 

[LindaZ]

This is the information I copied from the US Dept of Agriculture website - I'm not sure why my print got this big - but oh, well - just some info fyi - I bolded the parts that are very pertinent to this discussion. Hope this helps to clarify some things.


Basics for Handling Food Safely

Safe steps in food handling, cooking, and storage are essential to prevent foodborne illness. You can't see, smell, or taste harmful bacteria that may cause illness. In every step of food preparation, follow the four Fight BAC!™ guidelines to keep food safe:

• Clean — Wash hands and surfaces often.
• Separate — Don't cross-contaminate.
• Cook — Cook to proper temperatures.
• Chill — Refrigerate promptly.

Shopping

• Purchase refrigerated or frozen items after selecting your non-perishables.
• Never choose meat or poultry in packaging that is torn or leaking.
• Do not buy food past "Sell-By," "Use-By," or other expiration dates.

Storage

• Always refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours (1 hour when the temperature is above 90 °F).
• Check the temperature of your refrigerator and freezer with an appliance thermometer. The refrigerator should be at 40 °F or below and the freezer at 0 °F or below.
• Cook or freeze fresh poultry, fish, ground meats, and variety meats within 2 days; other beef, veal, lamb, or pork, within 3 to 5 days.
• Perishable food such as meat and poultry should be wrapped securely to maintain quality and to prevent meat juices from getting onto other food.
• To maintain quality when freezing meat and poultry in its original package, wrap the package again with foil or plastic wrap that is recommended for the freezer.
• In general, high-acid canned food such as tomatoes, grapefruit, and pineapple can be stored on the shelf for 12 to 18 months. Low-acid canned food such as meat, poultry, fish, and most vegetables will keep 2 to 5 years — if the can remains in good condition and has been stored in a cool, clean, and dry place. Discard cans that are dented, leaking, bulging, or rusted.

Preparation

• Always wash hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds before and after handling food.
• Don't cross-contaminate. Keep raw meat, poultry, fish, and their juices away from other food. After cutting raw meats, wash cutting board, utensils, and countertops with hot, soapy water.
• Cutting boards, utensils, and countertops can be sanitized by using a solution of 1 tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach in 1 gallon of water.
• Marinate meat and poultry in a covered dish in the refrigerator.

Thawing

• Refrigerator: The refrigerator allows slow, safe thawing. Make sure thawing meat and poultry juices do not drip onto other food.
• Cold Water: For faster thawing, place food in a leak-proof plastic bag. Submerge in cold tap water. Change the water every 30 minutes. Cook immediately after thawing.
• Microwave: Cook meat and poultry immediately after microwave thawing.

Cooking

• Beef, veal, and lamb steaks, roasts, and chops may be cooked to 145 °F.
• All cuts of pork, 160 °F.
• Ground beef, veal and lamb to 160 °F.
• All poultry should reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F.

Serving

• Hot food should be held at 140 °F or warmer.
• Cold food should be held at 40 °F or colder.
• When serving food at a buffet, keep food hot with chafing dishes, slow cookers, and warming trays. Keep food cold by nesting dishes in bowls of ice or use small serving trays and replace them often.
• Perishable food should not be left out more than 2 hours at room temperature (1 hour when the temperature is above 90 °F).

Leftovers

• Discard any food left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if the temperature was above 90 °F).
• Place food into shallow containers and immediately put in the refrigerator or freezer for rapid cooling.
• Use cooked leftovers within 4 days

 

[CharlieD]

GB, I never said it was safe, I specificaly said "let me be the only one who disagrees" key word being "the only one".

 

[GB]

Yes, but what is it that you are disagreeing with if not the question of safety?

 

[Barbara L]

Am I the only one who has noticed that all of these "I left something out all night...is it safe?" threads lately are being posted by newbies who never come back? I'm thinking it is some kind of game.

Obviously, if someone is sincere, we don't want to just blow them off, but maybe we just need one post with the information the poster needs (like the one LindaZ posted).

Barbara

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Am I the only one who has noticed that all of these "I left something out all night...is it safe?" threads lately are being posted by newbies who never come back? I'm thinking it is some kind of game.

Obviously, if someone is sincere, we don't want to just blow them off, but maybe we just need one post with the information the poster needs (like the one LindaZ posted).

Barbara

Good point, Barbara!

 

[GB]

Maybe we could just have a locked sticky post that explains the danger zone and when people ask if it is safe to eat food that is left out we can just point them to that post?

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Maybe we could just have a locked sticky post that explains the danger zone and when people ask if it is safe to eat food that is left out we can just point them to that post?

Great Idea GB. Now, whose standards will DC be following? Those of Canada, the US, the UK? China?

 

[GB]

Maybe we can have a number of different viewpoints represented all at the same time?

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Maybe we can have a number of different viewpoints represented all at the same time?

So sticky the the big three or so...I like that idea. What I like better is a sticky with the links to the govt agencies safe food practices.

 

[GB]

That would work too.

 

[CharlieD]

Yes, but what is it that you are disagreeing with if not the question of safety?

Yes, but being the only one means, no one should go with my opinion

 

[PrincessFiona60]

That would work too.

Less copying and pasting...I'm getting lazy.

Who wants to research...US, Canada and UK? Food safety Agency links of these 3 governments...I think that is the Majority of our members.

 

[CharlieD]

Maybe we could just have a locked sticky post that explains the danger zone and when people ask if it is safe to eat food that is left out we can just point them to that post?

That would great idea.

 

[Alix]

I think you guys have a great idea there. Let me go see what I can dig up and post. Thanks all!

OK, here it is, check it out. Please feel free to copy and paste the link for any of these future posts.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I think you guys have a great idea there. Let me go see what I can dig up and post. Thanks all!

OK, here it is, check it out. Please feel free to copy and paste the link for any of these future posts.

I kinda feel like I just sat here and said, "Make it so!"

Thanks Alix!

 

[Alix]

You have any good links? Those were the best three I could find. I'm comfy with the Canadian one but don't know if I got the right ones for the US or the UK.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

You have any good links? Those were the best three I could find. I'm comfy with the Canadian one but don't know if I got the right ones for the US or the UK.

I found one that is more colorful and interactional, but with the same info. The USDA is the best choice.

 

[mozart]

You have any good links? Those were the best three I could find. I'm comfy with the Canadian one but don't know if I got the right ones for the US or the UK.

Hopefully, we can find a link that explains the danger zone requirements a little better.

I have seen folks here say the food temperature can not be in the danger zone for more than 2 hours or it is unsafe and should be thrown out.

Others say that food may not be left out on the counter more than 2 hours regardless if it is prepared or raw or it is unsafe and should be thrown out.

Others make a distinction between poultry and other foods

Yet the FDA requirement is this:

"Cool hot foods quickly. Get hot foods out of the Danger Zone - bring the temperature of cooked foods to below 41º F quickly.

• Cool foods from 140º F to 70º F in 2 hours or less, then from 70º F to 41º F within 6 hours total."

The two hour time limit is not for the actual temperature of the food, it is the ambient temperature where the food is located. The time it takes the food to reach 40 degrees in the refrigerator is longer.