Can you leave spaghetti sauce with meat out overnight?

In this article, we will answer the following question: Can you leave spaghetti sauce with meat out overnight? We will talk about the dangers of leaving food out of the fridge even for more than two hours, and give you the basic food safety regulations.

Can you leave spaghetti sauce with meat out overnight?

No, you should not leave spaghetti sauce with meat out overnight. It is highly unlikely that spaghetti sauce will remain safe to consume if left overnight. 

At normal room temperature i.e 22°C (70°F), spaghetti sauce with meat should not be left for more than 2 hours. And if the ambient temperature is high at 30°C (90°F), a maximum of one hour (1).

It should be noted that after two hours without refrigeration, the bacterial growth has advanced to a level considered dangerous for consumption. 

Can you eat spaghetti sauce with meat that was left out overnight?

No, you should not eat spaghetti sauce with meat that has been left out overnight. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, you should discard any perishable food that was kept unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours.

After cooking food, you should cool them to a temperature of 40°F (4°C) within 2 hours and store it in the refrigerator or freezer (3).

What are the risks of eating spaghetti sauce with meat that was left out overnight?

The risks of eating spaghetti sauce with meat that was left out overnight are of experiencing an episode of foodborne disease. Foodborne illnesses commonly result from improper food handling, such as bad hygienic practices during preparation or cooking or inadequate storage conditions. 

This improper handling of food, including leftover foods, favors the contamination and growth of bacteria in food, which is faster by higher temperatures (1). 

Food outbreaks are reported worldwide due to unsafe food practices and are associated with several bacteria, including Campylobacter jejuni, Clostridium perfringens, E. coli 0 157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus and Toxoplasma gondii (4).

Possible symptoms of foodborne diseases are nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, stomach cramps and flu-like symptoms (4).

Foodborne illnesses can lead to serious consequences, such as hospitalizations and even death. Therefore, eating spaghetti sauce with meat that has been left out overnight is not worth the risk. Rather, you should cook another sauce with meat.

What to do with the spaghetti sauce with meat that has been left out overnight?

The United States Department of Agriculture advises to throw away any leftover foods that have been left at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Therefore, if spaghetti sauce with meat has been left out overnight, it should be discarded (3).

How to safely cook spaghetti sauce with meat?

To cook spaghetti sauce with meat safely, follow the instructions (2):

  • Wash hands with running water and soap before preparing food
  • Clean surfaces and utensils and all equipment that come into contact with food with running water and soap
  • Wash the ingredients, such as tomato, onions, garlic, and other spices, with running water 
  • Cook the spaghetti sauce according to your personal preferences
  • Do not handle cooked food while handling uncooked food to prevent cross contaminations
  • Cook meat separately to a minimum temperature of 145°F (160°F if ground meat)
  • Mix the sauce and the meat into a bowl and let it cool down to a temperature of 40°F. If necessary, use the shallow pan method to faster results
  • Refrigerate or freeze the spaghetti sauce with meat

Conclusions

We remind you that once cooked, the food should be placed in suitable containers and should not be left out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours, or more than an hour if the temperature is greater than 30ºC.

If you have any questions or comments on the content, please let us know!

References 

  1. How temperatures affect food. United States Department of Agriculture.
  2. Keep Food Safe! Food Safety Basics. United States Department of Agriculture.
  3. Leftovers and Food Safety. United States Department of Agriculture.
  4. Bruhn, Christine M., and Howard G. Schutz. Consumer food safety knowledge and practices. J food safety, 1999, 19, 73-87.

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