Will Reheating Food Make It Safe If You Forget to Refrigerate It? (2024)

FAQs

Will Reheating Food Make It Safe If You Forget to Refrigerate It? ›

Myth: If you let food sit out more than 2 hours, you can make it safe by reheating it really hot. Fact: Some bacteria, such as staphylococcus (staph) and Bacillus cereus, produce toxins not destroyed by high cooking temperatures.

Reheating food may not make it safe. If food is left out too long, some bacteria, such as staphylococcus aureus (staph), can form a heat-resistant toxin that cooking can't destroy. One of the most common sources of staph bacteria is the human body.

Eating food left out overnight is a food safety no-no. No exceptions. So, please make your personal pledge today to NEVER eat it. Even if you're in the habit of doing this and haven't gotten sick yet, it's better to be safe than to take the risk and become terribly ill or lose your life to foodborne illness.

Within 2 hours of cooking food or after it is removed from an appliance keeping it warm, leftovers must be refrigerated. Throw away all perishable foods that have been left in room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if the temperature is over 90° F, such as at an outdoor picnic during summer).

After each reheating, leftovers will be safe in the fridge for an additional three to four days.

The best plan is to put leftovers in the refrigerator right after your meal. Food that is sitting out for a party or picnic should be chilled after two hours at typical room temperature. If it's above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) or more, food should not sit out for more than one hour.

In summary, there isn't a specific limit on how many times you reheat, but it's best to eat leftovers within four days. And your food might get a little less appetizing each time you reheat it.

So, if it sat out overnight, toss that pizza in the trash or compost bin, and spare yourself the risk of foodborne illness. Better yet, refrigerate the leftovers within two hours and you can reheat them the next day (or eat cold pizza if that's your style).

*All parts of the food must reach a temperature of at least 165°F for 15 seconds. Reheating must be done rapidly, within 2 hours after being removed from refrigeration. Foods reheated in a microwave oven must be reheated so that all parts of the food reach a temperature of at least 165°F.

My advice is to put a two- to four-hour limit on hot-held food for both quality and safety best practices. If the cost and waste of discarding long-held chili are a problem, consider heating product in smaller batches with more frequency or reducing your production.

Can you put food back in the fridge after it's been microwaved? ›

If you don't consume reheated food immediately, avoid handling it and return it to the fridge within two hours. Err on the side of caution if reheating food for vulnerable people including children, elderly, pregnant or immunocompromised people. If in doubt, throw it out.

Reheat leftovers thoroughly to at least 165 °F. Reheat sauces, soups, and gravies to a boil. On stove top: Place food in pan and heat thoroughly. The food should reach at least 165 °F on a food thermometer when safely reheated.

What If I Reheat the Chicken? Reheating cooked chicken left out for more than two hours (or more than one hour at temperatures above 90°F) does not make it safe to consume.