So stupid ..food safety question

[njsweetP]

I think I know the answer (but feel bad throwing $$ down the drain)..stopped at the food store yesterday before getting DD from school, bought 3lb of chicken breasts and 1.5lbs of stew meat. Fast forward to this morning when I get into the car to take DD to school, and guess what's on the backseat?? The MEAT !!! UGH I am sooo mad. So my question is, this meat can't be good, can it? It's been out of the fridge and in my car since yesterday afternoon. Garage temp was probably 45 degrees I'm guessing, maybe a little
cooler. The packages were cool though, they were not warm or anything. Any food safety experts out there?

 

[babyrich]

I think I know the answer (but feel bad throwing $$ down the drain)..stopped at the food store yesterday before getting DD from school, bought 3lb of chicken breasts and 1.5lbs of stew meat. Fast forward to this morning when I get into the car to take DD to school, and guess what's on the backseat?? The MEAT !!! UGH I am sooo mad. So my question is, this meat can't be good, can it? It's been out of the fridge and in my car since yesterday afternoon. Garage temp was probably 45 degrees I'm guessing, maybe a little
cooler. The packages were cool though, they were not warm or anything. Any food safety experts out there?

I am not an expert but I say throw it out. 45 degrees is much too warm. The $ isnt worth getting sick over.

 

[FourBees]

I wouldn't chance it. It stinks that you have to through it away but think of it this way. Would you rather throw away $10-$20 dollars worth of meat (not sure the price you paid) or keep it and potentionally get very sick from it and p have a huge doctors bill?

 

[scrapquitler]

I have done the same thing If it was 45 degrees, you definitely should throw that meat out.

 

[kathie859]

I think I know the answer (but feel bad throwing $$ down the drain)..stopped at the food store yesterday before getting DD from school, bought 3lb of chicken breasts and 1.5lbs of stew meat. Fast forward to this morning when I get into the car to take DD to school, and guess what's on the backseat?? The MEAT !!! UGH I am sooo mad. So my question is, this meat can't be good, can it? It's been out of the fridge and in my car since yesterday afternoon. Garage temp was probably 45 degrees I'm guessing, maybe a little
cooler. The packages were cool though, they were not warm or anything. Any food safety experts out there?

If you Google the USDA storage guidelines, it appears that 40 degrees is the recommended temp for storage and transport. If the meat was still cool, I'd cook it and use it immediately. If it was at room temperature, I'd pitch it for sure--but is seems ok to me f you cook the meat well done.

 

[seashoreCM]

I say that the meat is probably (chances greater than 90%) okay but not certainly (chances 100.0%) okay.

 

[princess barbara]

Went food shopping for the week yesterday and roasts were on sale- a big splurge for us. Looking forward to roast beef with mashed potatoes and gravy and broccoli for supper tonight and planned on leftover beef and barley soup for the weekend Went to get my roast this morning and can't find it. Looked in my trunk and there it was- had fallen out of the shopping bag and I still have beach chairs and blankets in the trunk and I didn't even notice it. Was below freezing last night but I still pitched it in the garbage this morning. Can't afford to get sick. Now have to reshuffle and rethink meals for the family for the rest of the week. Bye bye $10.00 bill.

 

[Mrs.Malone]

It's probably okay but if you're like me, you won't enjoy the meat anyway. You'll just be thinking (maybe imagining but still) that it smells or tastes "off."
Throw it out and make up for it by scrimping a little somewhere else in the budget.

 

[of2dbeach]

meat has to stay under 40 so bacteria wont grow on it. even if you cant see it or smell it is there. not worth getting food poisioning. I did 3 times eating at resturants each time. i worked in a deli for years. You have to know the safe holding temps of foods so you wont get people sick. the rule is hot stuff over 140 cold under 40. toss it its not worth it.

 

[ADisneyQueen]

When in doubt, throw it out!

 

[mrodgers]

If it was outside and where I live, it is colder outside than in the fridge, so it would be fine, LOL.

45° in the garage, that's practically room temperature in my house. Toss...

 

[MEM]

I'd pitch it too. You have no idea whether the meat stayed cool the entire time it was in the car.

 

[njsweetP]

Hi all, thanks for the replys. I tossed it, better safe than sorry. I just feel
sooo bad about it.

 

[apnep]

Don't chance your family's health. Throw it out. Better a few bucks now than hundreds or thousands later.

 

[4HppyCamprs]

I feel for you. I hate throwing money away. Just this morning I got up and on the end table was a 1/2 gallon of Creamer that DH picked up last night and so it sat out overnight in a 69 degree house. It was very warm and it smelled a little off (I have a sensitive nose) and DH told me it seemed okay to him. UM NO. no thank you. Besides my sensitive nose I have a sensitive stomach. bye bye 5.00.

 

[Diegosmom]

I know this probably isnt the right answer but for me I would have cooked it. I wouldnt have left the meat red I would have cooked it well (which would kill bacteria). Our grandparents used to slader animals and leave them in the celar. Even my husbands family in Mexico does this type of thing all the time...So I will cook it. I of course smell it first and after it is cooked I will taste it, if it tastes funny I will pitch it but it has always been fine and we have never been sick...

But thats just me...again I probably shouldnt and some day I will probably pay for it but untill then.... lol