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 My husband grilled a pork tenderloin last night for about 2.5 hours, then left it out overnight. Can reheating the meat to internal temp of 170 (or whatever is well done for pork) kill any harmful bacteria and make it safe to eat? It's just so much meat to throw away!
Thanks, Julie
Answer Hi Julie,
Unfortunately, we do not recommend heating and eating meat that has been left at room temperature for over 2 hours.
While it would seem that if you only reheat the food it would be safe, this is not always the case. Some bacteria product a toxin, waste product, that is not deactivated by heat.
So until we have a definitive way of knowing if meat that has been sitting out at room temperature for an extended period of time is still safe, we will recommend that food that has sat out for more than 2 hours at room temperature (1 hour at temperatures over 90 degrees) not be consumed.
