RoughCollie Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 I left spaghetti sauce out all night. I figured it was full of bacteria, didn't want to make anyone sick or kill them, so I tossed it this morning. This was a simple sauce of ground beef + Ragu, not that it matters. I told a friend of mine about it, because we had to stop at the grocery store to get something for her 21 yo DD to eat for supper tonight because she was going to babysit Aidan for me. (Aidan is the dog in my sig.) My friend and her daughter said she could eat the sauce b/c the microwave kills all the germs, so it will be safe. They were horrified that I'd thrown it away. I was horrified that they would have eaten it. Is this true? It can't be, can it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 Nope. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/22/health/22real.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perry Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 It probably would kill most bacteria, if you left it in there long enough. However, some bacteria structures (spores) are heat resistant and wouldn't be killed. Also, some bacteria produce toxins when they grow, and heat doesn't inactivate many toxins. You did the right thing. Microwave Kills Germs in Sponges Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 You might not need to eat at her house ever again... ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perry Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 You might not need to eat at her house ever again... ;) :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 You all simply do not want to know about how our supper leftovers are left on the stovetop for breakfast in the morning. 25 years of marraige. 4 kids. How are we still alive? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 You all simply do not want to know about how our supper leftovers are left on the stovetop for breakfast in the morning. 25 years of marraige. 4 kids. How are we still alive? We're pretty bad about it, too. I don't feed stuff like that to my dd, but I eat it myself all the time, even though I know I shouldn't. I've eaten pork that was literally raw in the middle, bloody chicken, and various foods that have sat out overnight (or longer). I think after awhile, you develop an immunity or something, because nothing ever makes me sick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 We're pretty bad about it, too. I don't feed stuff like that to my dd, but I eat it myself all the time, even though I know I shouldn't. I've eaten pork that was literally raw in the middle, bloody chicken, and various foods that have sat out overnight (or longer). I think after awhile, you develop an immunity or something, because nothing ever makes me sick. I must say we've not ever eaten bloody chicken...or raw pork. :tongue_smilie: LOL I think a lot of folks here are from the deep hot south or Texas. It never gets that hot here. But then, don't they have AC? I mean, I have even left pasta out in the condo in FL! Dang wimps is all I can think. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 Heating food would kill most bacteria. The problem is that it would NOT remove any toxins that have been produced by bacteria- which is often what causes people to be ill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 Heating food would kill most bacteria. The problem is that it would NOT remove any toxins that have been produced by bacteria- which is often what causes people to be ill. I can see you are not the least bit German! Suck it up, man! :auto: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 I can see you are not the least bit German! Suck it up, man!:auto: Oh, I was just answering the question with facts... I personallylet leftovers sit out on the counter all the time, all our family did when I was growing up, nobody ever got sick. (I stick meat and in the fridge as soon as it has cooled to room temp, though) I admit that I even eat cake batter that has raw eggs because it is so yummy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 (edited) Oh, I was just answering the question with facts... I personallylet leftovers sit out on the counter all the time, all our family did when I was growing up, nobody ever got sick. (I stick meat and in the fridge as soon as it has cooled to room temp, though) I admit that I even eat cake batter that has raw eggs because it is so yummy. Way to go. PS Isn't it funny how facts and reality are so often at odds? :) Edited May 15, 2011 by LibraryLover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 If the spaghetti was covered and in temperatures that were not hot overnight, I would have just refrigerated it in the morning then heated it up before eating. I would be more careful with uncooked meat but spaghetti is acidic (tomato sauce) and the meat is already cooked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassoonaroo Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 Okay, I've read all the laid-back replies. Aren't there any other germophobes here? I follow the "when it doubt throw it out" rule and "two hours max" rules. I can't imagine making my entire family ill just to save $5 worth of meaty food that got left out. I'm good with butter, salad dressing, etc. being left out, but not meat things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sputterduck Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 We would have eaten it. Very few things get refrigerated here in the village I live in. The meat stores around here turn off the fridges at night to save money on electricity. We never get sick anymore. They don't even refrigerate mayo. I'm telling you, I think America is paranoid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoughCollie Posted May 14, 2011 Author Share Posted May 14, 2011 (edited) Aren't there any other germophobes here? Yes there are: Me. I use my Thermapen to check the temperature of the meat I cook, too. Besides, with my family's luck so far this year, if I had fed that spaghetti to anyone, they would have died. Or gotten seriously ill. Or fed some to the dog, and he would have died. Something Bad would have happened! So far, no one has ever gotten food poisoning from eating food I've cooked. Where I used to live, a woman died from food poisoning she got from eating an undercooked Wendy's hamburger! Edited May 14, 2011 by RoughCollie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoughCollie Posted May 14, 2011 Author Share Posted May 14, 2011 Heating food would kill most bacteria. The problem is that it would NOT remove any toxins that have been produced by bacteria- which is often what causes people to be ill. Toxins! You and Perry have a point there. We do not want toxins in our systems. (And if a lot are already there, please don't tell me. :001_smile:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoughCollie Posted May 14, 2011 Author Share Posted May 14, 2011 Nope. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/22/health/22real.html Thanks for the link. I'm going to show that article to my friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 Hey RC, want to come over for spaghetti?:D:auto: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoughCollie Posted May 14, 2011 Author Share Posted May 14, 2011 Hey RC, want to come over for spaghetti?:D:auto: Jean, you are not the beneficiary of my life insurance. Just so you know. Quit counting your chickens! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kim.4dogs Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 Okay, I've read all the laid-back replies. Aren't there any other germophobes here? I follow the "when it doubt throw it out" rule and "two hours max" rules. I can't imagine making my entire family ill just to save $5 worth of meaty food that got left out. I'm good with butter, salad dressing, etc. being left out, but not meat things. Yes! I'm with you. I would never eat it. One of the worst cases of food poisoning I've ever had was from some rice that sat at room temperature for a few hours on a warm day. (Toxins that the microwave would not have affected.) I am *so* careful with rice now! I do not care to repeat that experience. Ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 Jean, you are not the beneficiary of my life insurance. Just so you know. Quit counting your chickens! :D Aw, man. And I thought we were friends! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoughCollie Posted May 14, 2011 Author Share Posted May 14, 2011 I admit that I even eat cake batter that has raw eggs because it is so yummy. I use pasteurized eggs for baking, just in case someone wants to lick the bowl and spoon. Well ... we call it that, but no one actually *licks* the bowl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoughCollie Posted May 14, 2011 Author Share Posted May 14, 2011 Aw, man. And I thought we were friends! I already promised I'd share my multi-million dollar lottery win with you ... isn't that enough? Someday I might even buy a lottery ticket, which will make the chances of that happening double! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatmansWife Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 I was horrified that they would have eaten it. :iagree: You might not need to eat at her house ever again... ;) :iagree: :tongue_smilie: The meat stores around here turn off the fridges at night to save money on electricity. We never get sick anymore. They don't even refrigerate mayo. :eek: :ack2: Where I used to live, a woman died from food poisoning she got from eating an undercooked Wendy's hamburger! :eek: :scared: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Wisc Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 My sis, the dietitian, has the same answer to this question any time she is asked: When you get food poisoning from meat, you get very sick (both ends) and often end up in the emergency room. If you feel you have enough money or good enough insurance to take your whole family to the ER and if you'd like to take some time off from the hum-drum of family life, sure! Go ahead and eat it. J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serenade Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 I use pasteurized eggs for baking, just in case someone wants to lick the bowl and spoon. Well ... we call it that, but no one actually *licks* the bowl. What brand of pasteurized eggs to you use and where do you get them? I used to buy Davidson's Eggs (or something like that), but I can no longer find them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoughCollie Posted May 18, 2011 Author Share Posted May 18, 2011 What brand of pasteurized eggs to you use and where do you get them? I used to buy Davidson's Eggs (or something like that), but I can no longer find them. I don't know the brand, and I don't have any on hand right now. I do know that they aren't available everywhere. Where I used to live, I could not get them. Here, they are in only one grocery store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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