Is he doomed to get food poisoning now?

[ChickenofDoom]

Urgh.

We had roast chicken thighs yesterday- the leftover ones were put on the top shelf of the fridge.

DS ate a couple at about 5pm today. It now emerges that I can't have fully closed the fridge properly after getting milk out for coffee at 9:30am this morning. The door must have been slightly ajar and everything on the top shelf under the fridge lights is very warm to the touch. I would almost describe the chicken as hot to the touch. Everything else in the fridge on lower shelves has stayed cold.

So the chicken had been sat directly under hot fridge lights for 7.5 hours

I could cry!

Is DS doomed?! Is there any chance he'll be ok or is food poisoning a given now?

Had they been cooked or were they raw?

(When in the fridge, I mean 😄)

They were cooked.

I’m sure it would be fine,

I reckon it will be fine then!

They were cooked according to OP.
He's not necessarily going to get food poisoning. They must have taken a while to get from cold this morning to room temperature in the fridge. I would be more positive that he will be fine.
My mum used to leave stuff out overnight to cool and we were fine.

They were cooked - I’m sure they will be fine.

My mother in law cooks chicken and leaves it on the cooker for sometimes 3/ 4 days and will eat it within that time. And she has NEVER got food poisoning.

I have to say, I think her immune system is extremely good though because she can also eat stuff that are wayyyy past the expiration date and still be fine.

Ya...I don’t really eat at her house anymore

People often take chicken on picnics in hot weather not envy. We don't hear of mass picnic poisoning so I think he would be unlucky to get sick.

Thanks for the reassuring replies but they were definitely hotter than room temperature because of the fridge lights.

The fridge lights were burning hot having been on all day and the chicken was directly below them so they had been heated right up

@ChickenofDoom
Well then OP, they won’t need reheating !

BON APETIT !