Expert: Chris Manley - 2/4/2009

Question
I am conducting an experiment in Microbiology and want to know what type of organisms will grow from a pot of peas cooked and left overnight.  They will be exposed to air and left on the stove with the heat off.  How harmful are these organisms?  This is very important, have looked all over the web for spoilage on Peas with no luck.  Thanks

Answer
If the peas are completely cooked, and then left uncovered at room temperature they will begin to spoil as airborne yeasts, mold, fungus and bacteria settle on them.  It is impossible to know what specifically will begin to grow.  

The initial cooking process should destroy any organisms that were present on the peas to begin with, so the only source of contamination will be the air in your home.  

More than likely they will be spoiled by mold, or wild yeast.  These spoilage organisms are not usually harmful, though some people are very sensitive to them.