Ask Extension

Can I consume food that has been left on the counter all day?

No, you should not eat any food that has been left at a temperature above 40 ºF for a total of more than 2 hours. Bacteria need time as well as a warm and moist environment to grow and multiply. Most food-borne illness-causing organisms grow quickly above 40 °F. Some bacteria can double their numbers every 20 minutes at temperatures above 40 °F. In a few hours, bacteria on food can cause an illness or form "toxins" that might not be fully destroyed by cooking.


Article Details

Last Updated
8th of September, 2009

Would you like to...

Print this page Print this page

Email this page Email this page

Post a comment Post a comment

Subscribe me

Add to favorites Add to favorites

Remove Highlighting Remove Highlighting

Edit this Article

Quick Edit

Export to PDF

User Opinions (0 votes)

No users have voted.

How would you rate this answer?



Thank you for rating this answer.

Related Articles

Attachments

No attachments were found.

Visitor Comments

No visitor comments posted. Post a comment

Post a comment

To post a comment for this article, simply complete the form below. Fields marked with an asterisk are required.
   Name:
   Email:
* Comment:
* Enter the code below:
 

Continue