My father called me with a food question, the answer of which I was
not sure of. I told him I could post in on the Internet and have some
answers real soon. He is elderly, but still amazed how the Internet
provides all this information. Now to the question.

This afternoon my dad was given a container full of soup beans and
meat by a friend. He does not know for sure what kind of beans they
are. Instead of bringing them home, he went to a auto lot, where he
likes to visit with his friends, and left the beans in his PT Cruiser,
windows up, for about 2-3 hours. During those hours it was about 85
degrees out. Once he got home, he placed the container in the fridge.
Do you think the beans are safe to eat? Besides smelling them, is
there a way to tell? Or would you just pitch them to be safe?

Thanks in advance for your help,
Mark Ferrante

"Ferrante" > wrote in message
...
> My father called me with a food question, the answer of which I was
> not sure of. I told him I could post in on the Internet and have some
> answers real soon. He is elderly, but still amazed how the Internet
> provides all this information. Now to the question.
>
> This afternoon my dad was given a container full of soup beans and
> meat by a friend. He does not know for sure what kind of beans they
> are. Instead of bringing them home, he went to a auto lot, where he
> likes to visit with his friends, and left the beans in his PT Cruiser,
> windows up, for about 2-3 hours. During those hours it was about 85
> degrees out. Once he got home, he placed the container in the fridge.
> Do you think the beans are safe to eat? Besides smelling them, is
> there a way to tell? Or would you just pitch them to be safe?
>

The only real way to tell would be to culture the food and check for
pathogens. Of course that's way over the top for a pot of beans. The rule
is that you shouldn't leave food in the danger zone (40F - 140F) for more
than two hours. If it were just three hours I wouldn't worry. The question
might be is how long did they beans sit before they were given to your
father. Also, depending on the type and shape of container, it might have
taken them a long time to cool below 40F after being placed in the
refrigerator. Adding together all these times, it is possible that they
were in the danger zone for far longer than 2 - 3 hours. Pitching them is
always the safe thing to do. If your father is in poor health, then I
wouldn't take a chance. If it were me, I would probably eat them.

>"Ferrante wrote:
>>
>This afternoon my dad was given a container full of soup beans and
>meat by a friend. Instead of bringing them home he went to a auto lot and left
>the beans in his PT Cruiser, windows up, for about 2-3 hours. During those
hours it was about 85 degrees out. Once he got >home, he placed the container
in the fridge.
>
>Do you think the beans are safe to eat? Besides smelling them, is there a way
to >tell? Or would you just pitch them to be safe?

By all means, pitch the meat, but with the outrageous price of gas these days
dump those beans in the PT Cruiser's fuel tank.


---= BOYCOTT FRANCE (belgium) GERMANY--SPAIN =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
*********
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."
Sheldon
````````````

Vox Humana wrote:

> "Ferrante" > wrote in message
> ...
> > My father called me with a food question, the answer of which I was
> > not sure of. I told him I could post in on the Internet and have some
> > answers real soon. He is elderly, but still amazed how the Internet
> > provides all this information. Now to the question.
> >
> > This afternoon my dad was given a container full of soup beans and
> > meat by a friend. He does not know for sure what kind of beans they
> > are. Instead of bringing them home, he went to a auto lot, where he
> > likes to visit with his friends, and left the beans in his PT Cruiser,
> > windows up, for about 2-3 hours. During those hours it was about 85
> > degrees out. Once he got home, he placed the container in the fridge.
> > Do you think the beans are safe to eat? Besides smelling them, is
> > there a way to tell? Or would you just pitch them to be safe?
> >
>
> The only real way to tell would be to culture the food and check for
> pathogens. Of course that's way over the top for a pot of beans. The rule
> is that you shouldn't leave food in the danger zone (40F - 140F) for more
> than two hours. If it were just three hours I wouldn't worry. The question
> might be is how long did they beans sit before they were given to your
> father. Also, depending on the type and shape of container, it might have
> taken them a long time to cool below 40F after being placed in the
> refrigerator. Adding together all these times, it is possible that they
> were in the danger zone for far longer than 2 - 3 hours. Pitching them is
> always the safe thing to do. If your father is in poor health, then I
> wouldn't take a chance. If it were me, I would probably eat them.

I wouldn't worry too much if it was just beans, but the meat would concern me. I
have had food poisoning once. I don't ever want to go through that again. I
would pitch it. My wife, OTOH, would probably eat it.

"Dave Smith" > wrote in message
...
> Vox Humana wrote:
>
> > "Ferrante" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > My father called me with a food question, the answer of which I was
> > > not sure of. I told him I could post in on the Internet and have some
> > > answers real soon. He is elderly, but still amazed how the Internet
> > > provides all this information. Now to the question.
> > >
> > > This afternoon my dad was given a container full of soup beans and
> > > meat by a friend. He does not know for sure what kind of beans they
> > > are. Instead of bringing them home, he went to a auto lot, where he
> > > likes to visit with his friends, and left the beans in his PT Cruiser,
> > > windows up, for about 2-3 hours. During those hours it was about 85
> > > degrees out. Once he got home, he placed the container in the fridge.
> > > Do you think the beans are safe to eat? Besides smelling them, is
> > > there a way to tell? Or would you just pitch them to be safe?
> > >
> >
> > The only real way to tell would be to culture the food and check for
> > pathogens. Of course that's way over the top for a pot of beans. The
rule
> > is that you shouldn't leave food in the danger zone (40F - 140F) for
more
> > than two hours. If it were just three hours I wouldn't worry. The
question
> > might be is how long did they beans sit before they were given to your
> > father. Also, depending on the type and shape of container, it might
have
> > taken them a long time to cool below 40F after being placed in the
> > refrigerator. Adding together all these times, it is possible that they
> > were in the danger zone for far longer than 2 - 3 hours. Pitching them
is
> > always the safe thing to do. If your father is in poor health, then I
> > wouldn't take a chance. If it were me, I would probably eat them.
>
> I wouldn't worry too much if it was just beans, but the meat would concern
me. I
> have had food poisoning once. I don't ever want to go through that again.
I
> would pitch it. My wife, OTOH, would probably eat it.

I don't disagree, especially if it was given to me and I wasn't really sure
of its history. There was a thread recently about ground meat that was left
in a car over night. I wouldn't eat that under any circumstances, but there
were others who had no problems with eating ground beef that had been left
at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours. I guess life is a calculated risk.

"Dave Smith" > wrote in message
...
> Vox Humana wrote:
>
> > "Ferrante" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > My father called me with a food question, the answer of which I was
> > > not sure of. I told him I could post in on the Internet and have some
> > > answers real soon. He is elderly, but still amazed how the Internet
> > > provides all this information. Now to the question.
> > >
> > > This afternoon my dad was given a container full of soup beans and
> > > meat by a friend. He does not know for sure what kind of beans they
> > > are. Instead of bringing them home, he went to a auto lot, where he
> > > likes to visit with his friends, and left the beans in his PT Cruiser,
> > > windows up, for about 2-3 hours. During those hours it was about 85
> > > degrees out. Once he got home, he placed the container in the fridge.
> > > Do you think the beans are safe to eat? Besides smelling them, is
> > > there a way to tell? Or would you just pitch them to be safe?
> > >
> >
> > The only real way to tell would be to culture the food and check for
> > pathogens. Of course that's way over the top for a pot of beans. The
rule
> > is that you shouldn't leave food in the danger zone (40F - 140F) for
more
> > than two hours. If it were just three hours I wouldn't worry. The
question
> > might be is how long did they beans sit before they were given to your
> > father. Also, depending on the type and shape of container, it might
have
> > taken them a long time to cool below 40F after being placed in the
> > refrigerator. Adding together all these times, it is possible that they
> > were in the danger zone for far longer than 2 - 3 hours. Pitching them
is
> > always the safe thing to do. If your father is in poor health, then I
> > wouldn't take a chance. If it were me, I would probably eat them.
>
> I wouldn't worry too much if it was just beans, but the meat would concern
me. I
> have had food poisoning once. I don't ever want to go through that again.
I
> would pitch it. My wife, OTOH, would probably eat it.

I don't disagree, especially if it was given to me and I wasn't really sure
of its history. There was a thread recently about ground meat that was left
in a car over night. I wouldn't eat that under any circumstances, but there
were others who had no problems with eating ground beef that had been left
at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours. I guess life is a calculated risk.

Vox Humana wrote:

> "Ferrante" > wrote in message
> ...
> > My father called me with a food question, the answer of which I was
> > not sure of. I told him I could post in on the Internet and have some
> > answers real soon. He is elderly, but still amazed how the Internet
> > provides all this information. Now to the question.
> >
> > This afternoon my dad was given a container full of soup beans and
> > meat by a friend. He does not know for sure what kind of beans they
> > are. Instead of bringing them home, he went to a auto lot, where he
> > likes to visit with his friends, and left the beans in his PT Cruiser,
> > windows up, for about 2-3 hours. During those hours it was about 85
> > degrees out. Once he got home, he placed the container in the fridge.
> > Do you think the beans are safe to eat? Besides smelling them, is
> > there a way to tell? Or would you just pitch them to be safe?
> >
>
> The only real way to tell would be to culture the food and check for
> pathogens. Of course that's way over the top for a pot of beans. The rule
> is that you shouldn't leave food in the danger zone (40F - 140F) for more
> than two hours. If it were just three hours I wouldn't worry. The question
> might be is how long did they beans sit before they were given to your
> father. Also, depending on the type and shape of container, it might have
> taken them a long time to cool below 40F after being placed in the
> refrigerator. Adding together all these times, it is possible that they
> were in the danger zone for far longer than 2 - 3 hours. Pitching them is
> always the safe thing to do. If your father is in poor health, then I
> wouldn't take a chance. If it were me, I would probably eat them.

I wouldn't worry too much if it was just beans, but the meat would concern me. I
have had food poisoning once. I don't ever want to go through that again. I
would pitch it. My wife, OTOH, would probably eat it.

Ferrante wrote:

> This afternoon my dad was given a container full of soup beans and
> meat by a friend. He does not know for sure what kind of beans they
> are. Instead of bringing them home, he went to a auto lot, where he
> likes to visit with his friends, and left the beans in his PT Cruiser,
> windows up, for about 2-3 hours. During those hours it was about 85
> degrees out. Once he got home, he placed the container in the fridge.
> Do you think the beans are safe to eat? Besides smelling them, is
> there a way to tell? Or would you just pitch them to be safe?





Pitch them to be safe. Beans and meat don't cost that much. 85 degrees
is smack in the danger zone which means 2 hours there max. There is a
way to tell if they're safe, but it involves feeding it to a volunteer,
and they're notoriously hard to find in this situation. I imagine it
would also be possible to make that determination with a lot of
expensive lab equipment.

--Lia

it may be safest, and beans are cheap. but im certain ive eaten beans left
out much longer. like left out on a picnic table in the hot sun all day...

randy

"Ferrante" > wrote in message
...
> My father called me with a food question, the answer of which I was
> not sure of. I told him I could post in on the Internet and have some
> answers real soon. He is elderly, but still amazed how the Internet
> provides all this information. Now to the question.
>
> This afternoon my dad was given a container full of soup beans and
> meat by a friend. He does not know for sure what kind of beans they
> are. Instead of bringing them home, he went to a auto lot, where he
> likes to visit with his friends, and left the beans in his PT Cruiser,
> windows up, for about 2-3 hours. During those hours it was about 85
> degrees out. Once he got home, he placed the container in the fridge.
> Do you think the beans are safe to eat? Besides smelling them, is
> there a way to tell? Or would you just pitch them to be safe?
>
> Thanks in advance for your help,
> Mark Ferrante

Picnic type beans have lots of tomato and vinegar. The acid helps keep it
from spoiling.

Boiling for 20-30 minutes will kill almost any germ and will also deactivate
some deadly toxins (botulism). But it will not faze other toxins
(salmonella) meaning one could get sick for a short period but if the person
is weak then he might not come through even that real well, or even alive.
Possibly countervailing that would be the acid level, if Papa knew it was
made that way (adding acid now would not help). Is Papa that adventuresome?

Bottom line, Ferrante should make his dad some new soup beans and meat, and
have him pitch the old. If the friend asks him, he should just thank the
friend for them and if pressed further tell the friend that they were "very
nice" (technically true, since it's the thought that counted) and leave it
at that.


"xrongor" > wrote in message
...
> it may be safest, and beans are cheap. but im certain ive eaten beans
left
> out much longer. like left out on a picnic table in the hot sun all
day...
>
> randy
>
> "Ferrante" > wrote in message
> ...
> > My father called me with a food question, the answer of which I was
> > not sure of. I told him I could post in on the Internet and have some
> > answers real soon. He is elderly, but still amazed how the Internet
> > provides all this information. Now to the question.
> >
> > This afternoon my dad was given a container full of soup beans and
> > meat by a friend. He does not know for sure what kind of beans they
> > are. Instead of bringing them home, he went to a auto lot, where he
> > likes to visit with his friends, and left the beans in his PT Cruiser,
> > windows up, for about 2-3 hours. During those hours it was about 85
> > degrees out. Once he got home, he placed the container in the fridge.
> > Do you think the beans are safe to eat? Besides smelling them, is
> > there a way to tell? Or would you just pitch them to be safe?
> >
> > Thanks in advance for your help,
> > Mark Ferrante
>
>

"HiTech RedNeck" > wrote in message
news
> Picnic type beans have lots of tomato and vinegar. The acid helps keep it
> from spoiling.
>
> Boiling for 20-30 minutes will kill almost any germ and will also
deactivate
> some deadly toxins (botulism). But it will not faze other toxins
> (salmonella)

also won't eliminate ptomaine toxin from the meat, though the mixture would
likely well and thoroughly stink if it was bad enough for that

On Wed, 25 Aug 2004 22:41:39 GMT, "HiTech RedNeck"
> wrote:

>Bottom line, Ferrante should make his dad some new soup beans and meat

Bang! there's the answer!

Thanks to you and everyone for your help. They will go in the
"GAR-BAGE" tomorrow.

Mark

"Ferrante" > wrote in message
...
> On Wed, 25 Aug 2004 22:41:39 GMT, "HiTech RedNeck"
> > wrote:
>
> >Bottom line, Ferrante should make his dad some new soup beans and meat
>
> Bang! there's the answer!
>
> Thanks to you and everyone for your help. They will go in the
> "GAR-BAGE" tomorrow.
>
> Mark

TOMORROW????? How about N-O-W

I was thinking, if the car was closed tighly sitting in direct sun, temps
were well above 85. But that doesn't make the food safe in this case.
Especially when eldery or very young people are involed - when in doubt,
deep-6 it!! The cost and trouble of replacing spoiled foods is nothing
compared to even one incident. I can totally relate when Dave said he
wouldn't eat them, but his wife probably would. My mother had the rather
unsavory habit of leaving cooked meat unchilled on the stovetop overnight.
In the mornings she would plop the stuff, coagulated fat and all, between a
pair of bread slices and chow down. Still makes me shudder to think of it.
"x^p

"zuuum" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Ferrante" > wrote in message
> ...
> > On Wed, 25 Aug 2004 22:41:39 GMT, "HiTech RedNeck"
> > > wrote:
> >
> > >Bottom line, Ferrante should make his dad some new soup beans and meat
> >
> > Bang! there's the answer!
> >
> > Thanks to you and everyone for your help. They will go in the
> > "GAR-BAGE" tomorrow.
> >
> > Mark
>
> TOMORROW????? How about N-O-W
>
> I was thinking, if the car was closed tighly sitting in direct sun, temps
> were well above 85. But that doesn't make the food safe in this case.
> Especially when eldery or very young people are involed - when in doubt,
> deep-6 it!! The cost and trouble of replacing spoiled foods is nothing
> compared to even one incident. I can totally relate when Dave said he
> wouldn't eat them, but his wife probably would. My mother had the rather
> unsavory habit of leaving cooked meat unchilled on the stovetop overnight.
> In the mornings she would plop the stuff, coagulated fat and all, between
a
> pair of bread slices and chow down. Still makes me shudder to think of
it.
> "x^p

I've eaten plenty of pizza that has been left out all night without any
problems.

"zuuum" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Ferrante" > wrote in message
> ...
> > On Wed, 25 Aug 2004 22:41:39 GMT, "HiTech RedNeck"
> > > wrote:
> >
> > >Bottom line, Ferrante should make his dad some new soup beans and meat
> >
> > Bang! there's the answer!
> >
> > Thanks to you and everyone for your help. They will go in the
> > "GAR-BAGE" tomorrow.
> >
> > Mark
>
> TOMORROW????? How about N-O-W
>
> I was thinking, if the car was closed tighly sitting in direct sun, temps
> were well above 85. But that doesn't make the food safe in this case.
> Especially when eldery or very young people are involed - when in doubt,
> deep-6 it!! The cost and trouble of replacing spoiled foods is nothing
> compared to even one incident. I can totally relate when Dave said he
> wouldn't eat them, but his wife probably would. My mother had the rather
> unsavory habit of leaving cooked meat unchilled on the stovetop overnight.
> In the mornings she would plop the stuff, coagulated fat and all, between
a
> pair of bread slices and chow down. Still makes me shudder to think of
it.
> "x^p

I've eaten plenty of pizza that has been left out all night without any
problems.

"HiTech RedNeck" > wrote in message
news
> Picnic type beans have lots of tomato and vinegar. The acid helps keep it
> from spoiling.
>
> Boiling for 20-30 minutes will kill almost any germ and will also
deactivate
> some deadly toxins (botulism). But it will not faze other toxins
> (salmonella)

also won't eliminate ptomaine toxin from the meat, though the mixture would
likely well and thoroughly stink if it was bad enough for that

On Wed, 25 Aug 2004 22:41:39 GMT, "HiTech RedNeck"
> wrote:

>Bottom line, Ferrante should make his dad some new soup beans and meat

Bang! there's the answer!

Thanks to you and everyone for your help. They will go in the
"GAR-BAGE" tomorrow.

Mark

Picnic type beans have lots of tomato and vinegar. The acid helps keep it
from spoiling.

Boiling for 20-30 minutes will kill almost any germ and will also deactivate
some deadly toxins (botulism). But it will not faze other toxins
(salmonella) meaning one could get sick for a short period but if the person
is weak then he might not come through even that real well, or even alive.
Possibly countervailing that would be the acid level, if Papa knew it was
made that way (adding acid now would not help). Is Papa that adventuresome?

Bottom line, Ferrante should make his dad some new soup beans and meat, and
have him pitch the old. If the friend asks him, he should just thank the
friend for them and if pressed further tell the friend that they were "very
nice" (technically true, since it's the thought that counted) and leave it
at that.


"xrongor" > wrote in message
...
> it may be safest, and beans are cheap. but im certain ive eaten beans
left
> out much longer. like left out on a picnic table in the hot sun all
day...
>
> randy
>
> "Ferrante" > wrote in message
> ...
> > My father called me with a food question, the answer of which I was
> > not sure of. I told him I could post in on the Internet and have some
> > answers real soon. He is elderly, but still amazed how the Internet
> > provides all this information. Now to the question.
> >
> > This afternoon my dad was given a container full of soup beans and
> > meat by a friend. He does not know for sure what kind of beans they
> > are. Instead of bringing them home, he went to a auto lot, where he
> > likes to visit with his friends, and left the beans in his PT Cruiser,
> > windows up, for about 2-3 hours. During those hours it was about 85
> > degrees out. Once he got home, he placed the container in the fridge.
> > Do you think the beans are safe to eat? Besides smelling them, is
> > there a way to tell? Or would you just pitch them to be safe?
> >
> > Thanks in advance for your help,
> > Mark Ferrante
>
>

"Ferrante" wrote in message
...

> This afternoon my dad was given a container full of soup beans and
> meat by a friend. He does not know for sure what kind of beans they
> are. Instead of bringing them home, he went to a auto lot, where he
> likes to visit with his friends, and left the beans in his PT Cruiser,
> windows up, for about 2-3 hours. During those hours it was about 85
> degrees out. Once he got home, he placed the container in the fridge.
> Do you think the beans are safe to eat? Besides smelling them, is
> there a way to tell? Or would you just pitch them to be safe?
>

If I have any question in my mind as to whether something has spoiled or not
I chuck it. To me it's not worth experimenting. In this case I'd toss it.
Now, if it wasn't a PT Cruiser it might be a different story.

-Mike

"Ferrante" > wrote in message
...
> My father called me with a food question, the answer of which I was
> not sure of. I told him I could post in on the Internet and have some
> answers real soon. He is elderly, but still amazed how the Internet
> provides all this information. Now to the question.
>
> This afternoon my dad was given a container full of soup beans and
> meat by a friend. He does not know for sure what kind of beans they
> are. Instead of bringing them home, he went to a auto lot, where he
> likes to visit with his friends, and left the beans in his PT Cruiser,
> windows up, for about 2-3 hours. During those hours it was about 85
> degrees out. Once he got home, he placed the container in the fridge.
> Do you think the beans are safe to eat? Besides smelling them, is
> there a way to tell? Or would you just pitch them to be safe?
>

The only real way to tell would be to culture the food and check for
pathogens. Of course that's way over the top for a pot of beans. The rule
is that you shouldn't leave food in the danger zone (40F - 140F) for more
than two hours. If it were just three hours I wouldn't worry. The question
might be is how long did they beans sit before they were given to your
father. Also, depending on the type and shape of container, it might have
taken them a long time to cool below 40F after being placed in the
refrigerator. Adding together all these times, it is possible that they
were in the danger zone for far longer than 2 - 3 hours. Pitching them is
always the safe thing to do. If your father is in poor health, then I
wouldn't take a chance. If it were me, I would probably eat them.

Ferrante wrote:

> This afternoon my dad was given a container full of soup beans and
> meat by a friend. He does not know for sure what kind of beans they
> are. Instead of bringing them home, he went to a auto lot, where he
> likes to visit with his friends, and left the beans in his PT Cruiser,
> windows up, for about 2-3 hours. During those hours it was about 85
> degrees out. Once he got home, he placed the container in the fridge.
> Do you think the beans are safe to eat? Besides smelling them, is
> there a way to tell? Or would you just pitch them to be safe?





Pitch them to be safe. Beans and meat don't cost that much. 85 degrees
is smack in the danger zone which means 2 hours there max. There is a
way to tell if they're safe, but it involves feeding it to a volunteer,
and they're notoriously hard to find in this situation. I imagine it
would also be possible to make that determination with a lot of
expensive lab equipment.

--Lia

it may be safest, and beans are cheap. but im certain ive eaten beans left
out much longer. like left out on a picnic table in the hot sun all day...

randy

"Ferrante" > wrote in message
...
> My father called me with a food question, the answer of which I was
> not sure of. I told him I could post in on the Internet and have some
> answers real soon. He is elderly, but still amazed how the Internet
> provides all this information. Now to the question.
>
> This afternoon my dad was given a container full of soup beans and
> meat by a friend. He does not know for sure what kind of beans they
> are. Instead of bringing them home, he went to a auto lot, where he
> likes to visit with his friends, and left the beans in his PT Cruiser,
> windows up, for about 2-3 hours. During those hours it was about 85
> degrees out. Once he got home, he placed the container in the fridge.
> Do you think the beans are safe to eat? Besides smelling them, is
> there a way to tell? Or would you just pitch them to be safe?
>
> Thanks in advance for your help,
> Mark Ferrante

"Ferrante" wrote in message
...

> This afternoon my dad was given a container full of soup beans and
> meat by a friend. He does not know for sure what kind of beans they
> are. Instead of bringing them home, he went to a auto lot, where he
> likes to visit with his friends, and left the beans in his PT Cruiser,
> windows up, for about 2-3 hours. During those hours it was about 85
> degrees out. Once he got home, he placed the container in the fridge.
> Do you think the beans are safe to eat? Besides smelling them, is
> there a way to tell? Or would you just pitch them to be safe?
>

If I have any question in my mind as to whether something has spoiled or not
I chuck it. To me it's not worth experimenting. In this case I'd toss it.
Now, if it wasn't a PT Cruiser it might be a different story.

-Mike