Left out meat stew overnight

[buckstops]

Cooked a sausage stew overnight and finished it around 730pm. Then was going to leave it to cool down for a few hours before storing it away. At around 1130pm it was still a little warm so I boxed it up and then planned to put them in the fridge just before going to bed. But I completely forgot! It was only around 530am that I remembered and now I've put them in the fridge and one box in the freezer. Was I too late!? Should I throw it away as it was out for too long. My kitchen isn't overly warm but it's not super cold either.

When I ask any AI, they all say don't risk it you should bin it but most people on the forums like this say don't worry, it's fine to have. Just reheat it and you'll be ok..

It’ll be fine.

It’ll be fine. But put in the fridge or freezer now

I do this all the time. It will be fine.

It'll be fine if you fridge it now. I've just got up and its bloody freezing, just put my heating up. In the summer it would be a bit iffy but if you didn't have a warm house through the night will be ok.

It will be fine. I’ve left stuff out longer than that in the summer months without issue! It happens to us all at times. Obviously it’s not ideal, but chances are there won’t be any issues at all. When you reheat it, make sure it gets nice and hot all the way through.

It will be fine.

Thanks for the reassurance everyone!

As a chef I wouldn't risk it.
Food needs to be refrigerated within 90 mins to 2 hours ideally to prevent bacteria multiplying.
While I realize lots of m netters have taken risks when I read these posts not all nasties are killed by a quick boil up.

I agree you couldn’t sell it to the public, and I wouldn’t serve it in a hospital, but for home consumption, I doubt there’s that much risk (provided it’s reheated thoroughly - i.e. in the oven or on a hob rather than by microwave).

I asked a similar question on Mumsnet late last night, actually, except that mine was a vegan dish made with soya mince. I left mine out in a plastic airtight container for exactly the same amount of time, 6 hours. I too intended to put it in the fridge within 90 minutes but also completely forgot! A couple of people said it was fine - including a qualified chef. Google AI had said I should discard mine too, as it was well over 2 hours! But, especially as I left it in the communal hallway which was around 12 degrees C, I'm going to risk eating it tonight by thoroughly reheating the mixture.

I can't give any advice to you as I'm not at all an expert, but if you reheat it to a minimum of 75 deg C for at least 3 to 4 minutes, assuming you are healthy and not too elderly (and not a pregnant woman!) it should be ok I think.

I do it all the time, as I don’t want to put warm in the fridge.

Thanks for all your responses. So I'm still very much alive therefore you were all correct, it was totally fine. If anything, this goes to show as amazing as AI is, sometimes it doesn't have the most accurate advice or one that falls back on common sense, but rather will revert to the textbook answer.

Sp pleased you hadn’t come back up tell us you had died… would have been very awkward after we all said you’d be fine lol!

@Tillow4ever Not sure if you’re being ironic or not, because if @buckstops had died, they’re wouldn’t have returned. The buck would have actually stopped!

I wouldn't rely on AI for any information. Total rubbish.

Omg it was a joke! Jesus Christ you must be hard work in real life.

No, Tilly, you are. Don’t take things so seriously.