Homemade spaghetti sauce left out over night by accident

[Anonymous]

I think if you simmer it for a while it would be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think if you simmer it for a while it would be fine.

+1. 100% its good to eat. I've done this many times. Tomato sauce is acidic btw... not the same as leaving a milk/cream sauce out.

[Anonymous]

Please don't listen to PPs about "it's fine".

It very well could be...but bacteria multiplies every 45 minutes that it's left out at room temp. Be safe - not sorry.

[Anonymous]

OP,

Ask yourself: if I eat this will I be scared? will I be confident? will I be fearful?

Then, ask yourself: Is it worth it?

The ball is in your court.
I know what I would do.

[Anonymous]

I know this is from a LOOOONG time ago, BUT I came across it because this just happened to me and I started researching this question. I know health over money, but I had spent like $30 on this great quality organic turkey and Italian chicken sausage and I had taken so much time making this perfect ragu, fresh basil from my garden, tons of garlic, good quality olive oil. I had been craving a really great lasagna and I normally make my sauce one night, store it and then put the lasagna together the next day. When I noticed that I had left it out, I was very, very upset...It was the money and the time I had taken, and the care I had made it with, I just COULDN'T throw it out unless I was CERTAIN it would make us sick. I knew I couldn't risk feeding my family this sauce, but after researching what possible bacteria/contaminates could have festered, I then researched what kills them (if anything). One thing I read across various sites was that tomato sauce tends to be acidic enough to withstand being left out overnight without much risk (very difficult for bacteria to form). The major question was the meat (and poultry, specifically). Turns out there are 4-5 key bacteria possibilities, and all were effectively killed with heat and time. I kept reading about 5 minutes at 170-180 degrees. I simmered my sauce at about 200 degrees for just over 20 minutes (stirring occasionally so it wouldn't burn). I then assembled a mini lasagna for myself, and baked it in the oven at 350 degrees (convection oven) for 45 min. I ate a normal slice for dinner (making sure that only I would get sick if it were), and I can happily report ZERO negative effects. To be clear, I actually left this sauce out almost 24 hours - I made it the night before, finishing it about 7pm, and I did not even realize I had left it out until I wanted to assemble my lasagna and realized it wasn't in the fridge. I had made it a left it in a thick cast iron Dutch oven (le Creuset type), covered. Not sure if that made a difference, but I don't think so. So, for anyone out there that has this experience, take from this what you will! Best of luck =)

[Anonymous]

OMG. It is totally fine. The people telling you to toss it are definitely the ones that throw away chips that go past their sell-by date.

The answer is always to smell it. If it smells off, throw out. If it doesn't, totally fine to eat it. I often cook stuff in the evening and sometimes let it cool overnight. As long as your house temp isn't ridiculously high, it is fine.

[Anonymous]

Heat it up to the point that no germs can survive. I'm sure google knows.

[Anonymous]

I am pretty flexible about some food rules, but I would throw it out.

Anything with meat in it, is a definite TOSS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP,

Ask yourself: if I eat this will I be scared? will I be confident? will I be fearful?

Then, ask yourself: Is it worth it?

The ball is in your court.
I know what I would do.

OP, have you ever had food poisoning? You can tell who has and who hasn't by their answers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not only would I throw it out now, I would have thrown it out at 9 pm. Food needs to go in the fridge immediately. When it's just sitting on the counter being warm, it's happily growing bacteria.

Here are the government guidelines on food safety, with respect to leftovers: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/Leftovers_and_Food_Safety/index.asp.

OMG, no. You don't put hot food in the refrigerator.

Also, you are a lunatic.

[Anonymous]

Zombie thread, but the PP that revived it is correct. Acidic tomatoes are a great preservative, plus you can always reheat to boiling for 15 minutes to kill off bacteria. Depending on the amount of bacteria in it, it may have tasted off, but it wouldn’t be unsafe after reboiling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know this is from a LOOOONG time ago, BUT I came across it because this just happened to me and I started researching this question. I know health over money, but I had spent like $30 on this great quality organic turkey and Italian chicken sausage and I had taken so much time making this perfect ragu, fresh basil from my garden, tons of garlic, good quality olive oil. I had been craving a really great lasagna and I normally make my sauce one night, store it and then put the lasagna together the next day. When I noticed that I had left it out, I was very, very upset...It was the money and the time I had taken, and the care I had made it with, I just COULDN'T throw it out unless I was CERTAIN it would make us sick. I knew I couldn't risk feeding my family this sauce, but after researching what possible bacteria/contaminates could have festered, I then researched what kills them (if anything). One thing I read across various sites was that tomato sauce tends to be acidic enough to withstand being left out overnight without much risk (very difficult for bacteria to form). The major question was the meat (and poultry, specifically). Turns out there are 4-5 key bacteria possibilities, and all were effectively killed with heat and time. I kept reading about 5 minutes at 170-180 degrees. I simmered my sauce at about 200 degrees for just over 20 minutes (stirring occasionally so it wouldn't burn). I then assembled a mini lasagna for myself, and baked it in the oven at 350 degrees (convection oven) for 45 min. I ate a normal slice for dinner (making sure that only I would get sick if it were), and I can happily report ZERO negative effects. To be clear, I actually left this sauce out almost 24 hours - I made it the night before, finishing it about 7pm, and I did not even realize I had left it out until I wanted to assemble my lasagna and realized it wasn't in the fridge. I had made it a left it in a thick cast iron Dutch oven (le Creuset type), covered. Not sure if that made a difference, but I don't think so. So, for anyone out there that has this experience, take from this what you will! Best of luck =)

This is interesting. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just bring it to a boil for a good 10 minutes and it is fine. Learned this from my MIL in West Africa- she uses leftovers without a refrigerator all the time and neither she nor visitors (includinv weak stomach Americans)are ever ill...

This isn't true, I'm afraid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just bring it to a boil for a good 10 minutes and it is fine. Learned this from my MIL in West Africa- she uses leftovers without a refrigerator all the time and neither she nor visitors (includinv weak stomach Americans)are ever ill...

This isn't true, I'm afraid.

PP. On second thought, I'm not sure about OP's case. This definitely isn't a safe assumption to make about all food, though

[Anonymous]

PP again. It's best to follow recommendations from experts. Food poisoning can lead to long-term issues.