Left out gumbo

Blast it in the microwave and you'll be fine. Done it many times

More than likely, it is safe and you won't contract a foodborne illness from consumption. But just to be safe, 1) divide it into smaller containers and get it cold (below 41*F) as soon as possible. This will slow pathogen growth. 2) When reheating, make sure the contents reach or exceed 165*F for at least 5 minutes. This will destroy most foodborne pathogens that could be present.

Unless you are in one of the high-risk categories (toddler, expected mother, elderly, immune compromised) you shouldn’t worry too much about it. Of course, there’s always the maxim, “When in doubt, throw it out!”

You may also consider freezing it if you don't expect to consume it all within the next 5-7 days.

quote:

---

I've left a gumbo put for 3 days before.

---

If all you are going to do is leave it out for 3 days you may as well refrigerate that shite. Unless it's a seafood gumbo, in which 3 days is ok. Microbes in room temperature chicken and sausage gumbo don't fully come alive until you aged it at least a week. My grandfather's rule of thumb was a complete lunar cycle. It's ideal if you have the time and counter space.

quote:

---

No.

Science says you are absolutely at risk of the possiblity of food poisoning. 4 hours at room temperature is the general rule of thumb.

If there is the right bacteria present, it will 100% have grown.

If it grew to a correct amount, you can get sick.

It doesn't mean that the bacteria is there and it doesn't mean that the bacteria will affect you very bad if so. But it does mean that the science says it can indeed happen and the gumbo is not safe to eat.

---

Friedrich Nietzsche wrote, “Aus der Kriegsschule des Lebens. --Was mich nicht umbringt, macht mich stärker,”

No German?

"Out of life's school of war--what doesn't kill me, makes me stronger”.

Read carefully: Just throw it away, or heat it up, with stirring, to a low boil for 20 minutes. Take a sniff and decide if it passes the sniff test. If it does, then take a test taste and see if it passes the funky taste test. If it passes both tests, then eat away, and good luck. Might want to hug your wife and tell her and the kids you love them.

At best, no harm. Mid-range, a day on the toilet with a plastic pan in your lap and a story you will remember years from now.. At worst, give my regards to Simon Peter.



If not married, with no responsibilities to anyone else, you will be ok either way.

quote:

---

LNCHBOX

---

Rent free, baby!

quote:

---

FYI, some bacteria produce spores

---

As was the case with your parents.

quote:

---

FYI, some bacteria produce spores which may not be killed by boiling. So bringing your gumbo or stew to a boil after it's set out for an extended period of time does not kill those spores.

---

Well wouldn’t the spores be in there anyway from the get-go? If you bring it back to a boil and then cool and refrigerate per normal it would be safe bc if there are any spores in there (which would be present anyway whether it was left out or not) they wouldn’t be at temp long enough to grow.

quote:

---

LSUballs

---

My parents are bacteria which produced spores? You should be a comedian because that's a zinger!

quote:

---

Spores will form when the gumbo is left out at unsafe temperatures for extended periods of time.

---

Yeah but even if spores are present, they need several hours at rm temp to grow into bacteria that will make you sick. There are bacterial and fungal spores in our general environment everywhere. They are present in raw flour, on the outside of vegetables, etc. but only become a problem when in a wet, warm environment for an extended period of time. When you cook food you kill the living bacteria and fungi present in and on food. As stated earlier spores may still be present, whether first time cooked or second. That’s why we refrigerate food after cooking, so spores (and other bacteria and fungi present in air) can’t contaminate and grow in the food enough to get us sick. So if he re-boils the gumbo then refrigerates it, it will be safe. Or as safe as it was the first time.