# Leaving Food Out Overnight, And Then Throwing It In The Freezer **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 27, 2023, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaving-food-out-overnight-and-then-throwing-it-in-the-freezer/984663 "2023-05-27T10:57:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MortSahlFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@MortSahlFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MortSahlFan)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2023, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaving-food-out-overnight-and-then-throwing-it-in-the-freezer/984663/1 "2023-05-27T10:57:40Z")
Second time this week. I’ll leave these homemade (sold in stores) tamales to de-thaw, but I went to bed at about 8 and forgot about it. There’s no way I can throw them out. I had them in the kitchen, and I only use the space heater during the day, and I even have my kitchen sectioned off with a bed sheet, so it’s usually colder. I’d say I put them out at 7pm, and threw them in the freezer at 5am (just like the last time). I only eat at night, so if I knew 100% I’d wake up with diarrhea, then I might throw them away, although I might have some already there, and could be mixed up, except last night’s. I did throw this 3-month old lentil soup. My fridge settings are screwed, and won’t rise above 30F. The last time I posted some shit like this the fridge had the opposite problem, but a good slum tenant knows to never call the landlord. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2023, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaving-food-out-overnight-and-then-throwing-it-in-the-freezer/984663/2 "2023-05-27T11:48:58Z")
Heh. I am always reluctant to toss food. In your shoes I’d eat them quickly. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack. Been there a few times. Knock on wood, for all the poorly handled food I’ve eaten, I’ve never paid any consequences. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2023, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaving-food-out-overnight-and-then-throwing-it-in-the-freezer/984663/3 "2023-05-27T12:27:44Z")
As always in these type threads; post updates AFTER emergency room treatment - not before. 🤔 And continue to post so we’re not left wondering, 'What ever happened to so and so '. 1/2 /s ---
**Author:** ![MortSahlFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@MortSahlFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MortSahlFan)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2023, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaving-food-out-overnight-and-then-throwing-it-in-the-freezer/984663/4 "2023-05-27T12:31:54Z")
I threw it in the freezer. I was thinking I should let them freeze for a while (rehab, lol) before eating them. But yeah, these were $8 and thought I’d eat the others first - procrastinating any possible problems. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2023, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaving-food-out-overnight-and-then-throwing-it-in-the-freezer/984663/5 "2023-05-27T12:47:28Z")
> [@MortSahlFan](#): > > I threw it in the freezer. I was thinking I should let them freeze for a while Oh, i thought you didn’t want to eat them right away. Fwiw, it’s safer to eat potentially dicey food right now than to refreeze and re-defrost it, because freezing doesn’t kill many of the pathogens that might have developed, and defrosting means leaving the food out in conditions where pathogens might continue to grow. It’s even safer to recook the food right now and then eat it before it gets back into the “danger zone”. Cooking does kill most of the pathogens, do long as your get it got enough, although it doesn’t fix damage they may have already done to the food, which can range from making it taste funny to churning out heat-stable chemicals that can give you the runs. I, also, routinely eat food that’s not been handled to professional standards, and i haven’t ever paid for that, either. (I had food poisoning once, from some commercial fried chicken someone brought to a picnic. I know it was the fried chicken because enough people got sick that they surveyed, and everyone who ate the chicken got sick. But i never did learn whether it sat too long or came already contaminated. And i leave food out at home all the time. My kitchen is a lot cooler than a commercial kitchen, which gives me a bit of a safety margin. But mostly I’ve just been lucky.) ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2023, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaving-food-out-overnight-and-then-throwing-it-in-the-freezer/984663/6 "2023-05-27T12:53:54Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Fwiw, it’s safer to eat potentially dicey food right now than to refreeze and re-defrost it, because freezing doesn’t kill many of the pathogens that might have developed, and defrosting means leaving the food out in conditions where pathogens might continue to grow. That is the thing to pay attention to. Once it’s thawed, cook the food right away, and make sure it’s well cooked, at least to 165F and holding that for several minutes. Then refrigerate or freeze it if you don’t want to eat it right away. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2023, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaving-food-out-overnight-and-then-throwing-it-in-the-freezer/984663/7 "2023-05-27T13:02:15Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Once it’s thawed, cook the food right away, and make sure it’s well cooked, at least to 165F and holding that for several minutes. Then refrigerate or freeze it if you don’t want to eat it right away. And the same for any food that’s sat out too long. If you don’t want to throw it away, reheat it to 165F then either eat it quickly or chill it. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2023, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaving-food-out-overnight-and-then-throwing-it-in-the-freezer/984663/8 "2023-05-27T14:17:15Z")
> [@MortSahlFan](#): > > if I knew 100% I’d wake up with diarrhea, then I might throw them away Some call this a feature of Mexican food. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![MortSahlFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@MortSahlFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MortSahlFan)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2023, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaving-food-out-overnight-and-then-throwing-it-in-the-freezer/984663/9 "2023-05-27T16:04:25Z")
I didn’t know all that… I only eat at night, and I thought freezing them would … bring it back to life 🙂 I just can’t throw away money. I’ll risk it. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2023, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaving-food-out-overnight-and-then-throwing-it-in-the-freezer/984663/10 "2023-05-27T17:03:18Z")
The goal is to kill pathogens, not bring them back to life. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2023, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaving-food-out-overnight-and-then-throwing-it-in-the-freezer/984663/11 "2023-05-27T18:45:31Z")
Assuming you’re going to defrost before cooking/eating, you might want to defrost in a microwave oven, as it will shorten the thaw time and limit the potential reproduction of bacteria. I’m not an expert and I don’t have much experience with this. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2023, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaving-food-out-overnight-and-then-throwing-it-in-the-freezer/984663/12 "2023-05-27T18:54:08Z")
I always cook frozen tamales straight from the freezer in the microwave. No thawing. Makes things much simpler. I wrap a paper towel around it and nuke it for 2 -to 2 1/2 minutes for a 6-oz tamale (depending on the wattage if the oven). If you hit just the right amount of time, the masa comes out perfectly steamy. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2023, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaving-food-out-overnight-and-then-throwing-it-in-the-freezer/984663/13 "2023-05-27T19:37:38Z")
> [@MortSahlFan](#): > > I only eat at night You could still cook it as soon as you discovered it even if you don’t eat it right then; just freeze or refrigerate it before it cools down. As, I realize, @TriPolar said. – note that I’m not guaranteeing that would have made it safe; but I think it improves the chances. ---
**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2023, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaving-food-out-overnight-and-then-throwing-it-in-the-freezer/984663/14 "2023-05-27T20:27:17Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > I always cook frozen tamales straight from the freezer in the microwave. That’s good (for me) to know. I’ve always steamed them in a pressure cooker and will have to try with the microwave next time. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2023, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaving-food-out-overnight-and-then-throwing-it-in-the-freezer/984663/15 "2023-05-27T20:32:18Z")
> [@MortSahlFan](#): > > I’ll leave these homemade (sold in stores) tamales … > I only eat at night, so if I knew 100% I’d wake up with diarrhea, then I might throw them away, … In my experience, this is a natural result of consuming store bought tamales. It is the expected outcome. Careful observance of food safety temperatures makes no difference, IME. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2023, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaving-food-out-overnight-and-then-throwing-it-in-the-freezer/984663/16 "2023-05-27T20:50:11Z")
> [@MortSahlFan](#): > > I only eat at night, and I thought freezing them would … bring it back to life 🙂 Freezing doesn’t undo spoilage that happens to food when it’s warm. That’s like trying to unbake a cake. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2023, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaving-food-out-overnight-and-then-throwing-it-in-the-freezer/984663/17 "2023-06-01T02:24:34Z")
A reminder that nuking suspect food in a microwave or oven doesn’t necessarily protect you from food poisoning. "_Myth:_ If you let food sit out more than 2 hours, you can make it safe by reheating it really hot. **Fact:** Some bacteria, such as staphylococcus (staph) and _Bacillus cereus_, produce toxins not destroyed by high cooking temperatures." > **[Food Safety Myths](https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/food-safety/food-safety-myths)** > > Myth: The last meal I ate is what caused my foodborne illness (food poisoning). Fact: Except for some toxins and viruses, most harmful microorganisms take longer than a few hours to make you sick. Symptoms of foodborne illness can start anywhere... \*Scombroid food poisoning from eating improperly stored fish is another example of heating not being protective. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2023, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leaving-food-out-overnight-and-then-throwing-it-in-the-freezer/984663/18 "2023-06-01T03:39:45Z")
Although those heat-stable toxins usually go through you quickly, i think [Bacillus Cereus - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459121/#:~:text=Bacillus%20cereus%20is%20a%20facultatively,nausea%2C%20vomiting%2C%20and%20diarrhea). > Everyone is susceptible to _B. cereus_ infection; however, mortality related to this illness is rare. The emetic enterotoxin has been associated with a few cases of liver failure and death in otherwise healthy people. The infective dose or the number of organisms most commonly associated with human illness is 10^5 to 10^8 organisms/gram, but pathogenicity arises from the preformed toxin, not the bacteria themselves. The one time i had it, it was unpleasant, but not so horrible that it put me off trying food that still looks and smells good. And scombroid food poisoning happens so fast that you can eat a tiny amount and see if you react. I had an employee who got sick enough from it to warrant a trip to the emergency department, (from a restaurant that should have been more careful) but I’ve tasted fish that… tastes itchy. Anything that makes my mouth itch i stop eating immediately. That mostly keeps me from eating eggplant, and sometimes cherries, but once or twice I’ve noticed it with old fatty fish. I volunteer for a “meals on wheels” program, and I’m meticulous about food safety there (and passed the test with a perfect score) because some of the beneficiaries are sick or old or otherwise vulnerable, and none of them get to choose. But I’m a lot less careful about food for me.