# Vacuum-sealed chicken left out too long. Bad?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vacuum-sealed-chicken-left-out-too-long-bad/477291>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [December 15, 2008, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vacuum-sealed-chicken-left-out-too-long-bad/477291 "2008-12-15T20:53:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![xanthous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/53a042/32.png) [@xanthous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanthous)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vacuum-sealed-chicken-left-out-too-long-bad/477291/1 "2008-12-15T20:53:52Z")

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I put frozen vacuum-sealed chicken breasts into a sink full of cold water to defrost, and kinda forgot about them. 2.5 hours later, I pulled them out—the water still felt cold, but the breasts were a bit less than cold. I put them into the fridge immediately (our fridge temp is set within the safe zone 35°-40°)

Are they OK, IYHO?

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**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vacuum-sealed-chicken-left-out-too-long-bad/477291/2 "2008-12-15T20:59:56Z")

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IANAD, and I have terrible food hygiene.

Personally _I_ would probably still cook them and eat them. But that’s me. I’m not saying you should do it 😃

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**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vacuum-sealed-chicken-left-out-too-long-bad/477291/3 "2008-12-15T21:03:20Z")

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Yes, no problems. You didn’t even break the seal on the bag so you’re extra OK.

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**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vacuum-sealed-chicken-left-out-too-long-bad/477291/4 "2008-12-15T21:11:47Z")

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I am very bad about food and I wouldn’t think twice about your scenario. I’d serve it to anyone.