Question of the Day: Is food safe if left out overnight?

If a perishable food (such as meat or poultry)  has been left out at room temperature overnight (more than 2 hours) it may not be safe. Discard it, even though it may look and smell good. Never taste a food to see if it is spoiled.

Use a food thermometer to verify temperatures. Never leave food in the Danger Zone over 2 hours; 1 hour if outside temperature is above 90 °F (32.2 ºC) . The Danger Zone is the temperature range between 40 °F (4.4 ºC) and 140 °F (60 ºC)  in which bacteria can grow rapidly. To keep food out of the Danger Zone, keep cold food cold, at or below 40 °F (4.4 ºC) , and hot food hot, at or above 140 °F (60 ºC).