safe to eat...?

[strongblackcoffee]

Stopped to see a friend on the way back from aldi and stayed much longer than intending to... like an idiot I forgot about the chilled food sitting in my car. I had

smoked salmon pack
sliced ham in pack
4 pinter milk
yoghurts
feta

it was all packed together within a bigger bag, was in the car from 2ish until 5pm, car was quite warm but not ridiculously hot. All in sealed packets.

Can I have my lovely smoked salmon salad tea, or should I just ditch the lot? What about the rest of it?

anyone? I'm hungry...

I wouldn't eat the ham. The rest should be fine, I would think (but I am v. casual about such things, although haven't poisoned my family yet!)

If it was all cold and packed together it will have kept the temperature down. Does the milk still feel cool, or warm?

I'm working on the basis that yogurt and feta are fermented, so basically 'off' already, and if they are sealed then there are no bacteria in them that shouldn't be there; the salmon is smoked (therefore would keep without chilling, in a cool place) and the milk is probably fine as the volume would keep it cool. The ham though - pre-sliced meat is always a bigger risk than other foodstuffs as the slicing process could, in theory, introduce foreign bacteria. I wouldn't be sufficiently worried not let the dog have it though!

How warm was it when you got it out? Room temp or still a little bit cold?

Milk you should be able to smell/taste if it's off.

Yoghurts and feta will almost def be fine - they are "curdled" anyway iyswim.

If smoked salmon and ham are in those vacuum sealed packets (i.e. no air) they are probably ok. If they have air in the packets, bit more risky. I'd be most cautious about the ham.

You could cook the salmon and ham if you want to be cautious but don't want to waste it altogether. Won't be the same of course but better than binning. Make sure it gets properly hot.

disclaimer: please please don't blame me if you get sick! I am fairly gung ho about such things and as a result have fairly cast iron digestion - others may be more sensitive. And don't try on the DCs.

cross posted with Thekla

OMG! It will all be absolutely fine ! It was unrefrigerated for 3 hours.

My dc packed lunches are unrefrigerated for four hours every day (made at 8am and eaten at 12 noon or later) and no one has suffered any ill effects, ever.

Oh hooray hooray hooray, I cannot tell you how pleased I am! (I love my smoked salmon, it's my little treat and I was looking forward to my tea)

Okay, wise words, the ham is going in the bin (no dog!) and I'm sure the rest will be fine.

(or - thank you bibbity - maybe I'll cook the ham in tomorrow's dinner...)

Sbc - I would keep the ham too. And believe me, I take no risks with food poisoning as I am one of them there emetophobic loons.

I am imagining you scoffing salmon at speed now ...

minipie, are you my twin?

I have just returned from scoffing the salmon with great speed and even greater joy

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