How long can cooked food be stored at room temperature before it is unsafe?!


Question: How long can cooked food be stored at room temperature before it is unsafe!?
I accidentally forgot to place some apricot chicken and risotto into the fridge after they were cooked!. They were left out for about 3 hrs!. The dishes were both inside saucepans with lids and they'd just been cooked!. I just don't want anyone to get sick!. (theyre in the fridge now by the way)!. Anyone with good knowledge about food safety!? An answer would be much appreciated =)Www@FoodAQ@Com


Answers:
It is 2hrs!.!.!.after that you have to pitch it b/c bacteria has already started to grow!.
But since you caught it in time I think if you heat it up really good to 165 degrees F then you should be ok!.
I hope this helps!!Www@FoodAQ@Com

Let me tell you a secret!. I frequently leave last night's leftovers in the pan on the hob to cool down because it's still too hot to go in the fridge before I go to bed!. And quite often I forget to put it in the fridge in the morning before I go to work!. I invariably heat it up (absolutely boiling hot, mind) in the evening and eat it!. This has not killed me yet!. HOWEVER even I wouldn't do this with pork!. I would reheat chicken I'd left though!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

You should be fine!. The rule of thumb I always use is no more than 4 hours for cooked foods & no more than 1 hour for cold foods being out of the fridge before putting back into fridge or else tossing out!.

I'm 44 & it's not killed me yet, so I'm sure it will be fine!.

( Your chicken dish sounds yummy btw!!)Www@FoodAQ@Com

Technically, no more than two hours, but if you heat it up really, really, really well (hot!), you should be fine!. And if you do get sick from it, we all apologize from the bottom of our hearts!Www@FoodAQ@Com

They should be fine!. I have left food in pots on the counter over night!. 3 hours is not a very long time at all!.
You would be able to smell if they are bad!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

Bacteria loves room temperature!Www@FoodAQ@Com

It should be fine because I'm assuming it was still really hot during most of that period!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

its alright man!. you wont die!. Www@FoodAQ@Com





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