On a hot day above 90 F, how long can perishable food sit out safely?

1 hour. On cooler days the limit is 2 hours.

  1. 4 hours
  2. 1 hour ✔
  3. All day if it's covered

Why: The CDC says refrigerate perishables within 2 hours, or within 1 hour when it's above 90 F. Heat makes bacteria grow even faster.

Huh, didn't know that: A cooler or insulated container keeps food below 40 F on the trail.

The dad joke
Why did the potato salad get left behind? It couldn't keep its cool.
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Sources

  1. CDC: Four Steps to Food Safety https://www.cdc.gov/food-safety/prevention/index.html

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