at Fri, 02 Jul 2004 18:08:31 GMT in <zwhFc.15353$7t3.2343@attbi_s51>,
(Ken) wrote :

>I purchased a pack of ground beef at the grocery store, packed in the
>standard styrofoam/shrink wrap package. Circumstances prevented me from
>getting the beef into my refrigerator for 12 hours - it spent a fairly
>cool Seattle evening in my car last night. This morning, it passed the
>smell test. I'd appreciate some opinions on if the meat is good/bad.

The Seattle temperature last night wasn't nearly cool enough IMHO to be
safe. I had the windows open at home and it was comfortable in the house in
my shirt sleeves. Not a good sign. If it had been a big hunk of beef, I
might have considered aggressive trimming and using it. But because it was
ground, I wouldn't risk it. Especially not if it was ordinary commercial
ground beef (as opposed to organic, or naturally raised, etc.). Such ground
beef goes through conditions that present additional hazards, and I'd have
very deep misgivings about what might have been lurking in there already
that 12 hours at warm temperatures would have given time to develop. Toss
it.


--
Alex Rast

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