First, please don't paraphrase me if you wish to debate specific points. Differances in opinion can only be productive when respectful dialog is maintained. I did answer your question vis-a-vis beef, I said Rancidity and off flavors from fat oxidation are an issue more than bacteria growth or other pathogens.
Suddenly the discussion's shifted to chicken and spores. (Also quoting from serve safe manual) "Certian bacteria can change into a differant form-called spores- to protect themselves when nutriants are
not available." Spores therefore aren't germain to this conversation.
But don't hold out on us, At what point is, say, chicken, left unrefrigerated unsafe to cook and why? For that matter, how did people keep meat from making others sick before modern refridgeration? Was it just jerky and saltpork? Perhaps a new thread could be started as this would easily go off topic away from the threaded topic of poor Jovin's scorned ground cow.
Ground beef related food poisioning is usually caused by living Escheria coli bacteria producing shiga toxins
in the intestines. I've not read anywhere that e-coli contaminated beef will build up threshold toxin that can't be cooked out but if I'm wrong I'm quite open to correction, cooking should be an art of humilty, just quote me a specific.
As to the ground beef in question, it was frozen in the original package, was still frozen at 23:00 and thawed and bloody at 08:00 the next morning.
If cooked to approved temperature the ground beef would
probably be fine. I've had food poisoning as a boy and likely wouldn't gamble over a 4 dollah pack of ground but that's my personal bias. I tend to be a bit fastidious about time/temperature contamination and handwashing, just not hysterical. Stay safe, eat seasonally and wash your hands.