What happens if you leave stew out overnight?

Answer 1

No, it is not OK to eat. Not unless it was kept above 140°F during that time frame. Potentially hazardous food should not be left at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Less time is better. If you know that the product temperature was in the 140°F to 70°F range for 2 hours or less, then the meat should be OK. If you have no idea how long the food was in that range, then you are putting everyone who eats it at risk for food poisoning.

Most pathogenic bacteria thrive at the same temperatures we like. Some of them form toxins that are not destroyed by heating.

People constantly ask for some type of verification that the food they eat will not make them ill. That is nearly impossible to do without bacteriological and chemical tests, so all we can do is provide guidelines, like:

* Handle food in a sanitary manner (wash hands, clean & sanitize food-contact surfaces, protect from cross-contamination, package & store properly) * Keep potentially hazardous food either hot or cold and cook and reheat thoroughly, and * Use it within a reasonable time. In the end, you are responsible for what you feed yourself and your family. This adage has truth to it: When in doubt, throw it out.

Answer 2

If you leave stew out overnight, bacteria can start growing in it. Depending upon the type of bacteria, certain toxins could also be formed which could make you ill - and in less time than overnight. Illness is not guaranteed, but since you don't know whether pathogenic organisms or toxins are there - it just isn't worth the risk.

Answer 3

Beef stew is definitely NOT safe to eat if you have left it out overnight. For one, it has not been properly refriegerated (even if it has been covered)! Any food that is left out all night is going to be spoiled and will not be safe to eat.

Answer 4

It is safe to eat if it is stored in the refrigerator, but probably would not be safe to eat if it was just left out at room temperature, depending on what meats are in the stew..

It is safe to eat it if you re-heat and simmer for several minutes. Do not repeat this a second time though, always put foods that perish quickly in the fridge overnight.

Answer 5

No. It might look good, but it is no longer safe to consume.

Answer 6

Only if where it was left was as cold as a refrigerator. Warmer than that and it would not be safe to eat.