What's this on my bolognese (pic)?

[mambojambodothetango]

Made a bolognese yesterday evening, it was on and off hob for a while as I was cooking other things, lid was on and off. Too hot to refrigerate last night so left it on stove top with lid on overnight. What are these yellow bits on the surface? Just crystallised fat? Not fly eggs, I hope???? With the heat we've had food spoiled in last few days so I'm paranoid. Any thoughts?

I think it’s fat but I don’t think I’d be eating it if it’s been left out all night in this heat !

Even if it's heated up thoroughly?

I’ve not seen that before but I also wouldn’t eat it if it’s been out of the fridge all night. It’s too hot out and 8 plus hours is too long. I’m fairly lax about food usually.

I think you would have to heat it up to a certain temperature for longer than you think to kill harmful bacteria, I’d have a look at food safety website to check.

Even if it's heated up thoroughly?

No. It doesn't kill all of the toxins produced by bacteria! Some can still survive reheating. I'd never eat food that's been left out overnight let alone on a warm night.

Neither would I!

As above I’ve never seen that before , I would leave things to cool overnight in cooler weather but my house was 26 degrees all last night , so I wouldn’t be eating it today. Im quite happy to eat things past use by date etc that are fine , but the heat issue would be a problem for me .

if you’re worried about flies , I guess you’ve had it out open , rather than even in the oven etc , so flies may well have landed , although I don’t think that’s what the yellow is.

No it shouldn’t be eaten if left out overnight. Those yellow bits don’t look normal to me, never seen fat that yellow- didn’t you drain the fat off after browning the mince?

and like a pp , I’m usually quite lax about food and happily eat stuff out of date etc but I wouldn’t eat a meat sauce left out all night

@mambojambodothetango

mince with a high fat content and that's one of the oils/fats separated out and in a solid form.

I think it’s fat but I don’t think I’d be eating it if it’s been left out all night in this heat !

Meh! It was cold enough that the fat solidified.

I too am pretty chilled about food but nope, I wouldn't touch that.

There’s no way any fat would solidify outside the fridge at summer room temperature. But even if we agree it’s fat, I still wouldn’t eat it. The toxins produced by bacteria aren’t all killed by heat, so once they’re there, they’re there, and you will get ill if you eat them, regardless of how well you reheat.

My MIL is always doing this, leaves a whole chicken out on the counter all day and night and serves it for lunch the next day. After many nights spent doubled over the toilet bowl I've learned that her house is a veggie salad and cheese sandwiches affair only! Whenever I tell her about food safety she says she's never got sick but I'm guessing it's because her stomach is somewhat accustomed to it. For guests it nearly always makes them sick.

I often make something like a bolognese and leave it to cool overnight but not usually in such warm temperatures. We've never had a problem before but this looks odd to me. Thanks for the feedback. I will quietly bin this one I think.

Could it be cheese? Sometimes melted cheddar can look like that?

I often make something like a bolognese and leave it to cool overnight but not usually in such warm temperatures.

Well unless you're hellbent on eventually getting food poisoning then you should stop doing that.

Uneaten cat food left overnight has fly eggs on it in the morning. I would imagine there's a possibility the flies have been enjoying your bolognaise.

Er, I would never do that! This was a bolognese made in the evening, still piping hot at 10.30pm, left in a cast iron pan with lid on until 7am. I'm not saying it's the safest way to prepare food but I'd never leave something out all day and night.

The lid was on overnight.

No way would I eat something left out all night, that goes against every food hygiene rule there is. You'll get away with it ...until you don't 🤢

I made a chilli with beef mince last week when it was very warm weather and it was accidentally left out overnight (with a lid on), then refrigerated. I ate a portion last night and froze the remaining portion. It wouldn't be my ideal food hygiene scenario and I wouldn't serve it to others, but I made sure it was piping hot and I'm currently feeling fine.

If it contained chicken on the other hand I would chuck it.

Why would you leave food out overnight like that?

Reheating food doesn't kill off bacteria created by food left out for periods of time, so you really are playing food poisoning roulette with food when you do this. If you're 'lucky' you'll just get sickness and diarrhea.

Ex Food Safety EHO here - as a guidance for cooling cooked foods, do not leave in the cooking pan but transfer to a shallow dish (cover with kitchen roll) and allow to cool for 90 mins then put in fridge. A good domestic fridge running between 1- 5 degrees should be able to cope with warm food being placed in it.