AboutCarol Schlitt Expertise I can answer questions on home food safety, sanitation, home food preservation and commercial food safety (HACCP).
Experience I am an Extension educator, nutrition, wellness and food safety. I am a certified HACCP manager and a food safety instructor for the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Organizations International Association for Food Protection, American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (Certified CFCS), National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Society for Nutrition Education.
Education/Credentials BS - University of Illinois
MS - Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville
Question We cooked bacon yesterday afternoon and the leftovers sat out on the counter on a dish with leftover french toast and syrup until 9am this morning (about 20 hours). It was covered with plastic wrap the whole time. I want to throw it out and my boyfriend wants to eat it. It can't possibly be safe to eat, can it?
Answer Hi Laura,
The general recommendation for all leftover potentially hazardous foods (foods capable of supporting the growth of bacteria) left out of refrigeration overnight is to pitch the food. Just because it is covered does not automatically make it safe as bacteria could have been introduced onto the bacon after cooking and before getting covered by plastic wrap.
The problem is that you can't tell if the bacon has bacteria on it or not as it can taste wonderful, smell delicious and look perfectly safe and still make you ill. Since we don't have a way of telling if a food left out overnight is still safe to consume, the recommendation is to error on the side of caution and not consume the food.
So...can it still be safe to consume---yes, it can be still safe but it can also be teaming with bacteria.
