Can you eat cooked meat left out overnight?
No, it is not recommended to eat cooked meat that has been left out at room temperature overnight. Cooked meat should be refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking to prevent bacterial growth that can cause foodborne illness.
Eating cooked meat that has been left out for more than 2 hours at room temperature is very risky because bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and Clostridium perfringens begin to multiply rapidly between 40°F and 140°F.
What types of bacteria grow on cooked meat left out overnight?
Several types of dangerous bacteria can grow on cooked meat left out overnight:
Staphylococcus aureus
Staph aureus is one of the most common causes of food poisoning. It produces a toxin as it multiplies that causes symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and dehydration.
Salmonella
Salmonella infection causes diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps that develop 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Salmonella is one of the most common foodborne illnesses.
Listeria monocytogenes
Listeria can cause a serious infection called listeriosis with symptoms like fever, muscle aches, nausea, and diarrhea. It poses a particular risk for pregnant women, newborns, elderly, and those with compromised immune systems.
Clostridium perfringens
C. perfringens causes diarrhea and abdominal cramps within 6 to 24 hours of eating contaminated food. It grows best in meat, poultry, gravy, and dried or precooked foods.
How long can cooked meat be left out before it goes bad?
Cooked meat should not be left out of refrigeration for more than 2 hours. At room temperature, bacteria on cooked meat can double every 20 minutes.
After 2 hours in the danger zone between 40°F and 140°F, bacteria can grow to unsafe levels that can make you sick.
If the temperature is above 90°F, cooked meat should be refrigerated within just 1 hour.
Why does cooked meat need to be refrigerated so quickly?
Refrigerating cooked meat quickly is important because dangerous bacteria grow rapidly at temperatures between 40°F and 140°F.
Cooking meat to the proper internal temperature kills pathogens on the meat, but it does not get rid of all the bacteria. Some bacteria spores can survive the cooking process.
Once the meat is cooked, the bacteria that survived start to multiply. As the bacteria feed on the protein and moisture in the cooked meat, they produce toxic byproducts that can cause food poisoning.
The longer cooked meat sits in the danger zone, the more bacteria multiply. Leftover cooked meat should be stored in shallow airtight containers at 40°F or below.
What are the stages of bacterial growth on food?
There are four stages of bacterial growth on food:
Lag Phase
When bacteria are first exposed to food, they go through an adjustment period where they adapt to their new environment. During this lag phase, bacteria are changing physiologically to speed up cell division. They do not divide much in this stage.
Exponential Phase
In optimal conditions like temperatures between 40°F to 140°F, bacteria start multiplying quickly by binary fission. Their rate of growth is very rapid in this log or exponential phase.
Stationary Phase
As the bacterial population grows, the food supply becomes limited. Bacteria sense when their density is too high and the rate of growth slows down. Once growth levels off, the bacteria enter the stationary phase.
Death Phase
Eventually nutrients are depleted completely and bacteria run out of energy. As bacteria starve, the death rate exceeds the growth rate and the total population declines.
What temperature allows rapid bacterial growth on food?
The danger zone between 40°F and 140°F allows rapid growth of bacteria on food. This window of temperatures is ideal for bacterial multiplication.
At room temperature around 70°F, bacteria can double in number every 20 minutes. Bacterial growth slows down below 40°F and above 140°F but still continues.
To keep food safe from dangerous levels of bacteria, cold foods should be kept below 40°F and hot foods should be kept above 140°F.
Does reheating meat left out overnight make it safe to eat?
No, reheating meat that has been left out at room temperature overnight does not necessarily make it safe to eat.
Some toxins produced by bacteria cannot be destroyed by reheating. And some bacteria like Clostridium perfringens and Bacillus cereus can form spores that survive cooking.
Once ingested, the spores can germinate into new bacteria that release toxins that cause illness. Reheating cannot reverse the bacterial growth that allows pathogens to multiply to dangerous levels.
Can you get food poisoning immediately from bad meat?
You cannot get food poisoning immediately from eating bad meat. It takes time for the bacteria to multiply and release toxins after the contaminated meat is ingested.
Symptoms of foodborne illness usually begin anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 weeks after eating tainted food. Different bacteria have different incubation periods before making you sick:
- Salmonella: 6 hours to 6 days
- E. coli: 2-8 days
- Listeria: 9 to 48 hours
- Campylobacter: 2 to 5 days
- Staph aureus: 30 minutes to 8 hours
- Clostridium perfringens: 6 to 24 hours
So food poisoning from meat left out overnight would not set in instantly, but you may start feeling sick within 30 minutes or up to a week later.
What are the symptoms of food poisoning from spoiled meat?
Eating spoiled, undercooked, or contaminated meat can cause foodborne illness with symptoms like:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Abdominal cramps
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Chills
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Weakness
Symptoms can appear anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 weeks after eating bad meat. The duration depends on the particular bacteria or virus causing the foodborne illness.
Are there long term consequences from food poisoning?
Most people recover fully from food poisoning within a week. But there can be long term consequences in some cases:
Kidney Failure
A type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) can result from an E. coli O157:H7 infection. HUS is most common in young children and can lead to permanent kidney damage.
Guillain-Barre Syndrome
Some people develop the autoimmune disorder Guillain-Barre syndrome after recovering from Campylobacter food poisoning. The nerve damage causes muscle weakness and paralysis.
Arthritis
Joints can become persistently inflamed after infection with some foodborne bacteria leading to reactive arthritis. Salmonella, Shigella, and Campylobacter are most often linked to reactive arthritis.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Food poisoning may trigger irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in some people. IBS can cause chronic diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloating, and constipation.
When should you go to the doctor for food poisoning?
See a doctor if you have symptoms of food poisoning and:
- Bloody diarrhea or stools that are black and tarry
- Signs of dehydration like excessive thirst, dry mouth, little urination
- Unable to keep down fluids due to vomiting
- Diarrhea for more than 3 days
- Fever above 101.5°F
- Symptoms that do not improve after 3 days
- Severe abdominal pain and cramping
At risk groups like the elderly, pregnant women, infants, and those with weak immune systems should also see a doctor for suspected food poisoning.
Severe dehydration and electrolyte imbalance are greater risks for high risk groups and may require hospitalization for IV fluids and monitoring.
How is food poisoning diagnosed?
Doctors diagnose food poisoning by:
Medical History
Looking at symptoms and recent foods you’ve eaten helps identify the source of contamination.
Physical Exam
Examining you for signs of dehydration like low blood pressure, increased heart rate, dry mouth, and lack of skin elasticity.
Blood and Stool Tests
Testing blood and stool samples for bacterial or viral infections can pinpoint the type of pathogen causing illness.
Endoscopy
For certain symptoms, an endoscopy may be done to examine the lining of the stomach and look for inflammation caused by foodborne illness.
Can food poisoning be prevented?
You can prevent food poisoning by:
- Cooking meats to safe internal temperatures high enough to kill bacteria.
- Never leaving cooked meat out at room temperature more than 2 hours before refrigerating.
- Washing hands, countertops, utensils with soap and hot water frequently when cooking.
- Rinsing raw meats before cooking.
- Keeping appliances and refrigerator clean.
- Preventing cross contamination of ready to eat food with raw meat juices.
- Never defrosting meat at room temperature.
- Avoiding unpasteurized milk and juices.
- Drinking only purified water when traveling.
Practicing good food safety when handling, cooking, and storing meat is the best way to avoid foodborne illnesses.
How is food poisoning treated?
There is no specific treatment for food poisoning – it just has to run its course. The main treatment involves:
- Replacing fluids and preventing dehydration. Oral rehydration solutions can help increase fluids.
- Manage nausea and vomiting with medications.
- Resting the stomach and gut by not eating solid foods for a few days.
- Medications to reduce cramping and diarrhea.
- Antibiotics if certain types of bacterial infection are confirmed.
- In serious cases, hospitalization may be required for IV fluid replacement.
Most people recover fully within 4 to 7 days. Seeking medical care quickly at the first signs of dehydration is important, especially for at-risk groups like infants and elderly.
Conclusion
Eating cooked meat that was left out at room temperature overnight is very dangerous due to rapid bacterial growth in temperatures between 40°F to 140°F.
Reheating the meat does not make it safe again. Meat should be refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking. If meat is left out for longer, it must be discarded.
Consuming cooked meat that has sat at unsafe temperatures for several hours can lead to symptoms of food poisoning, including diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach cramps after a few hours or days of the exposure. In some cases, serious long-term consequences like kidney failure, arthritis or irritable bowel syndrome may result.
Practicing proper food handling and storage methods can prevent the risk of foodborne illness from multiplied bacteria. It is better to be safe than sorry and throw out meat that has been left out too long. The consequences of eating spoiled meat can be serious.
