Preserve It! Food on the counter for longer than two hours is potentially unsafe
by UCCE Master Food Preserver of El Dorado County Laurie Lewis
Whether you are serving a family meal or setting out food for that garden party or potluck, we want everyone to be safe. The memories of those meals should be the amazing flavors and great conversation, not food borne illness. Keeping food at proper temperatures and storing it for limited times is paramount for food safety.
Hot Foods, Cold Foods
One of the basic maxims of food safety is keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Not keeping perishable food hot enough (at or above 140 degrees F) or cold enough (at or below 40 degrees F) allows bacteria to multiply quickly, rendering food potentially unsafe. Thus, when preparing or serving perishable food, it’s important that it not be left at room temperature for more than two hours. If the temperature is above 90 degrees F (such as when you are entertaining outdoors), do not leave food out for more than one hour. Food left out for more than these time limits should be discarded.
Before refrigerating, cool off hot foods by storing them in shallow containers (so the heat can leave quickly).
How Long to Keep Leftovers
Label and date your leftovers. Most leftover foods will last in the refrigerator for three to four days. After that time, leftovers should be tossed. And it should go without saying that any food that is obviously spoiled (it smells unpleasant, is discolored or moldy, or abnormally soft) should be immediately thrown out, no matter how long it has been stored. One of the most basic food safety practices is: When in doubt, throw it out.
Key to Safe Defrosting
Care should also be taken when defrosting frozen foods, as pathogenic bacteria can multiply as the food begins to defrost when left at room temperature. Thaw frozen foods in the fridge or under cold running water, not at room temperature.
To recap:
- Do not leave perishable food at room temperature for more than two hours (one hour if the temperature is above 90 degrees F). This goes for food that is freshly cooked, or leftovers remaining after serving a meal or entertaining.
- Store foods in shallow containers and refrigerate (for 3 to 4 days) or freeze promptly.
- Defrost frozen food safely in the refrigerator – not at room temperature.
For more information on storing food and beverages, visit The FoodKeeper page at www.foodsafety.gov/keep-food-safe/foodkeeper-app where you can browse by category or use the search function to look up something specific. There’s also a Foodkeeper app for Android and Apple devices.
The UC Master Food Preservers of El Dorado County are a great resource for answers to your food safety and preserving questions. Email us at edmfp@ucanr.edu. For more information about our program, events, and recipes, visit our website at ucanr.edu/sites/mfp_of_cs/. Find us on Facebook, too (UCCE Master Food Preservers of El Dorado County)!