Ag Agent: Do Not Leave Food Out Over 2 Hours

Two hours is the longest anyone should leave food out before it needs to be refrigerated.

That from Putnam County Extension Agent Michelle Parrott, who said foodborne illness is a serious risk on Thanksgiving as food is often left on the table over the course of the day. Parrott said people should consider throwing out food that has been out at room temperature for over two hours to protect others from food poisoning.

“We don’t want that at all, obviously,” Parrott said. “And no one intentionally does this ever, but unfortunately that happens. And so for some folks it can be very, very serious and into even hospital stays for some foodborne illnesses. And that’s why it is so important to try to adhere to food safety guidelines.”

Parrott said any leftovers should be eaten three to four days from when the food was initially eaten. Parrott said people should be extra careful with foods such as meats, gravy, and anything with milk products or mayonnaise in it.

“Even some custard or cream pies, what you want to do is make sure those are refrigerated as well because, again, we’re looking at food safety,” Parrott said. “And when you have several folks coming over you want to make sure that what you’re serving is safe.”

Parrott said leftovers that need to be reheated should be brought to at least one hundred sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit. Parrott said heating food to a lukewarm temperature could allow for bacteria to grow even if the food was stored properly.

“A good meat thermometer is an easy way to make sure that you’re reheating the turkey and the gravies and the stuffings back up to that a hundred sixty-five degrees,” Parrott said.

Parrott said it is also an option to freeze any leftovers to store the food even longer. Parrott said any frozen leftovers should be eaten within six months to be safe.