Expert: Carol Schlitt - 11/18/2007

Question
Hi,

I forgot to put a sealed package of vacuum packed smoked salmon into the refrigerator after coming home from the supermarket, and it was sitting out at room temperature (in a cool room, probably only 60 degrees F overnight) for about 16 hours. Would it still be safe to eat? Thank you very much.

Answer
Hi Robert,

While the recommended way to store vacuum packaged smoked salmon is in the refrigerator, it can be stored at room temperature with the shelf life greatly reduced.  Research conducted on vacuum packaged smoked salmon indicates that as the temperature of storage increases, the amount of safe storage time inversely decreases.  Shelf lives of smoked-salmon stored at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 °C (that's 32, 36, 39, 43, 46 °F) were 26, 21, 20, 10 and 7 days, respectively. (Food Chemistry Volume 87, Issue 4, October 2004, Pages 543-550)  Since your salmon was at cool room temperature your safe shelf life is greatly diminished -- perhaps down to 1 day.

Since we do not have specific research to ascertain the safety of vacuum packed smoked salmon left at 60°F for 16 hours, my unfortunate recommendation is to not consume the fish.

Sorry....

Carol