How long can a Sandwich stay out of the fridge?

In this brief guide, we will answer the question, ‘How long can a Sandwich stay out of the fridge?’. We will consider some common ingredients of a sandwich and how long would a sandwich with those ingredients stay safe.

How long can a Sandwich stay out of the fridge?

A sandwich that has either all or some of the following ingredients can stay out of the fridge for a maximum of 2 hours:

1.eggs

2. Meat

3. Vegetables 

According to the USDA, a sandwich with the above ingredients becomes unsafe if kept at a temperature greater than 41 Fahrenheit for over 2 hours. If you leave the sandwich out of the fridge for more than 2 hours, it is best to throw it away to prevent getting sick from a food-borne illness. However, if the temperature exceeds 90 Fahrenheits, your sandwich would be safe for an hour only.

According to USDA, the temperature of 40 F to 140 F is labeled as The Danger Zone. This range of temperature encourages bacterial growth.  Spoilage is usually a quality issue in its initial stage and does not cause illness. However, gradually the food becomes a complete hazard.

What are the most perishable ingredients in a sandwich?

1.Meat and Eggs

Your food lasts only as long as the ingredient, which spoils first.

The first ingredient you can expect to spoil is either meat or eggs. Meat such as beef, chicken, turkey, or ham needs to be promptly refrigerated to avoid spoilage.

If there are also eggs added, they also make their way to the commodities that are the quickest to spoil. Hence, meat and eggs will cause your sandwiches to become spoilt.

If a sandwich with either or both; meat and eggs stay out of the fridge for long, the food becomes a safety hazard.

Eggs carry salmonella bacteria that is a highly prevalent cause of food poisoning. Salmonella is potentially present in eggs which, gradually multiply and causes the egg to spoil.

Mayonnaise has preservatives that prevent it from spoiling even when put together as a food ingredient. 

Meat and poultry are mostly water and highly nutritious, which means that it is a haven for bacterial growth. It is usually attacked by Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Listeria; these microorganisms thrive at a slower pace if the meat was handled carefully.

Hence, it is likely to spoil sooner if it wasn’t refrigerated or handled properly.

2. Sandwich with vegetables

If you have vegetables or herbs added, such as onions or celery, they also tend to wilt after a while.

Even though they may not spoil as soon, but they lose their freshness. However, vegetables such as tomatoes, lettuce, cabbage should not be exposed to room temperature for longer than 2 hours.

3. Shelf-stable sandwiches

Sandwiches with peanut butter, jam, jelly, or butter will stay safe out of the fridge for more than 2 hours. For optimum quality, keep them covered to prevent staling.

Let us look at some ways to make sure that your sandwich lasts for as long as it can:

• Refrigerate the sandwich within 2 hours of preparing it.

• Choose your ingredients wisely.

• Before you refrigerate, make sure it comes down to room temperature.

• Always keep your sandwich covered in an airtight container. Use a plastic film to wrap the sandwiches in, then put it into an airtight container before you store it.

Why should you keep your sandwiches covered?

When you cover the sandwiches, you prevent ambient microorganisms and oxygen from your food. If you leave your food uncovered, you are inviting bacteria to spoil it.

When you cover your sandwich, you prevent the flavor and smell of other foods from defiling them.

It is best to discard any food that you suspect has spoiled or stayed out of the fridge for long.

Do not consume your sandwich if you suspect that it has spoiled. Eating spoiled food can make a person sick with diarrhea or a severe form of food poisoning.

In this brief guide, we answered the question, ‘How long can a Sandwich stay out of the fridge?’. We considered some common ingredients of a sandwich and how long would a sandwich with those ingredients stay safe.

Citations

Foods change their color, texture, and odor as they spoil.

In the instance of your chicken salad, you can rely on a change in smell to tell you that it is time to throw it away.

An off-odor will develop if your salad spoils. It will become rancid or tangy. A change in appearance is often a good indicator of food spoilage.

The appearance of mold or a dull, unpalatable look is often an indicator that it is time to throw away your food.

It is best to discard any food that undergoes unexpected changes even if the shelf-life is yet to come. Premature spoilage of food is often a result of poor handling and storage.

Do not consume your chicken salad if you suspect that it has spoiled. Eating spoiled food can make a person sick with diarrhea or a severe form of food poisoning.