Keep or Toss?

[PolyndianPrincessJes]

So, somehow a bag of groceries was left in our car Tuesday. It's now Thursday. The bag had two packages of frozen chicken tenderloins and a bottle of grapefruit juice. The temperature outside since Tuesday has been in the teens and single digits at night. When I discovered tha bag this morning, the chicken was still frozen and the juice was solid. I'm skeeved out and wanted to throw the chicken away, but I was outvoted. What do you think?

 

[VAfamily1998]

I go by the motto "When in doubt, throw it out"...

 

[piperdown]

So, somehow a bag of groceries was left in our car Tuesday. It's now Thursday. The bag had two packages of frozen chicken tenderloins and a bottle of grapefruit juice. The temperature outside since Tuesday has been in the teens and single digits at night. When I discovered tha bag this morning, the chicken was still frozen and the juice was solid. I'm skeeved out and wanted to throw the chicken away, but I was outvoted. What do you think?

What was the temperature during the day? If it was continuously below 40 degrees, then I wouldn't have a problem.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/Keep_Food_Safe_Food_Safety_Basics/index.asp

 

[PolyndianPrincessJes]

I go by the motto "When in doubt, throw it out"...

That's me, too! I raid the fridge and pantry for expired or past "sell by" dates and chunk it all.

What was the temperature during the day? If it was continuously below 40 degrees, then I wouldn't have a problem.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/Keep_Food_Safe_Food_Safety_Basics/index.asp

Like I said, it was in the teens and even singles (during the night) since Tuesday, and I totally get that, logically speaking, it's probably just like it's been in a freezer, but it's just that "this was left out for two days" thinking I can't get past.

ETA: Ok, I see where that could be confusing...I was trying to get across that it was teens during the day, singles at night. Makes sense in my head.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

What was the temperature during the day? If it was continuously below 40 degrees, then I wouldn't have a problem.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/Keep_Food_Safe_Food_Safety_Basics/index.asp

Yep

If it got warmer during the day, leading to the groceries thawing out and then being re-frozen at night I wouldn't touch them. But if it stays cold all day then I wouldn't be worried about it.

During the winter I have a tendency to use my garage as a refrigerator if we run out of room. Since the temperatures never rise above what we set the refrigerator at I don't see it causing a problem.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Has there been any time in the last 2 days when you were in the car long enough to thaw the chicken? It would take at least a few hours of heat for it to thaw. I would say it is ok if it has been frozen the entire time. No different than sitting in your freezer.

 

[elgerber]

Ha, I live in MN, my car is colder than my freezer, I wouldn't have any problem keeping it.

 

[Magic Mom]

I'd keep it since it is still frozen.

 

[SaraJayne]

Ha, I live in MN, my car is colder than my freezer, I wouldn't have any problem keeping it.

I'd keep it.

 

[MIGrandma]

I wouldn't have any problem using them. Like another poster said, we use our garage as an extra refrigerator in the winter. It's great for keeping pop and beer cold!

 

[elgerber]

I wouldn't have any problem using them. Like another poster said, we use our garage as an extra refrigerator in the winter. It's great for keeping pop and beer cold!

Yep, comes in handy for parties! We can't do it long term though, too cold, the pop and beer explode LOL.

 

[msjprincess]

I'd keep it

 

[SookieStackhouse]

I go by the motto "When in doubt, throw it out"...

That's how I feel about stuff!

I doubt the grapefruit juice would hurt anybody, but chicken?? Wouldn't want to chance it.

 

[HOGFAN]

toss the chicken.you have no real way of knowing if it defrosted..if you got sick later you would regret keepingit

 

[akhenaten]

Was it in a trunk or was it where it could have been in the sun and thawed a bit and refroze?

I probably would throw it out... especially since it was tuesday to thursday...
why chance it?

 

[tiggersbombed2]

Okay...so here's my reasoning:

1. You aren't bad off and it's not going to break the bank to get rid of it, throw it out. Why take the chance?

2. You ARE really broke and you can't replace. Do you have insurance to take care of the hospital bills and lost wages if you get food poisoning from it? If the answer is no, throw it out. Why take the chance?

 

[mrspaha]

I was going to also ask if the car was in the sun at all, where it might have warmed up and thawed out.

I'd be inclined to think it'll be just fine, and I would probably keep it. I kind of doubt that it would have gotten above the freezing point anyhow.

Something else too I've noticed when things have thawed out slightly and then refrozen, that a layer of frost forms around the item. Take a good look and see if you notice anything different like that.

 

[ems_mom]

If the temperature was at or below freezing, and the car was in the shade...keep.

Any doubts...toss. Not worth the worry

 

[walden]

It is probably O.K., but, personally, I'd toss the chicken. Just to be safe.

Fod poisoning is no joke.

 

[Suellen]

Keep. If it was as cold as it has been here it surely stayed frozen.