If yogurt has been unrefrigerated by store or delivery method is it safe to eat?

Answer 1

That would depend on the quality of the yogurt, how long it has been unrefrigerated and how much it might have been mishandled before.

When you realize that yogurt is the result of controlled spoilage and is chock full of desired bacteria, it would make sense that not much other bacteria are going to be growing in it - at least not for very short time frames of temperature abuse. "No more than 2 hours" is the standard advice for unrefrigerated potentially hazardous food. I don't refrigerate my yogurt on the trip home from the store nor on my commute to work.

Putting yogurt through temperature abuse can reduce the populations of the good culture and can eventually permit the growth of yeasts, molds and other acid-tolerant bacteria.

If the store or delivery service has the yogurt unrefrigerated for an unacceptable length of time, I suggest you talk to them. If you do not get a good response, talk to your local health department. After all, you are buying yogurt for a reason. You should get it at its best quality.

Answer 2

Yes, you absolutely can. I am just recovering from a bout of stomach problems that I attribute to eating yogurt that rode around in a car (it was +8 celsius) for 3-4 hours, then we brought it home and forgot to put it away (2-3 hours). So, in total, it was left out for 5-6 hours. I ate half the tub the next morning. Within 1/2 hour, I was sick to my stomach...literally! I had stomach problems all that day and part of the next. Don't risk it...throw it out!