How long can food be safely held at room temperature?

Answer 1

A reasonable rule of thumb is to not exceed two hours unrefrigerated. At that point, it should be reheated or refrigerated. If the ambient temperature is quite warm, then reduce that to 1 hour.

Answer 2

Cooked food that is potentially hazardous should not be left at room temperature for more than 2 hours. At that point, it should be reheated or refrigerated. If the ambient temperature is quite warm - make that only one hour.

Answer 3

In general you should not eat any prepared food that has been at room temperature longer than two hours. However, there are several factors involved. Food served at a picnic on a very warm sunny day may not be safe to eat in much less time. By the same token, food lefter over from a winter campsite may be safe for a much longer period. Smoke or salt-cured meats, cheeses, or pickled products are sometimes never refrigerated and are perfectly safe to eat.

Bacteria is present on nearly everything in the universe, but heat from the cooking process reduces or elimates enough bacteria so the food is safe to eat. It is dangerous to eat prepared food at room temperature longer than two hours because it is within this timeframe that bacteria can grow to a level that can make people sick if ingested. Bacteria need several elements to survive: air, food, time, and certain temperatures. Non-refrigerated food generally provides an optimum environment for bacteria to grow. Refrigeration is our way of manipulating time and temperature to thwart bacterial growth since the ideal storage temperature is below what the bacteria needs.

I have personally eaten food left at room temperature well over two hours and been fine. However, a person who has a supressed immune system or other illness may not fare so well. As any person who has had food poisining will agree, it is not worth the risk. The common adage 'When in doubt, throw it out' should be your motto when it comes to food safety.

Answer 4

It depends on what type of food it is. Milk and dairy products may be only a couple hours, bread would be a few days, and honey can last for years.

Answer 5

Generally under 2 hrs.

Answer 6

2 min