Poll: Would you eat pizza that was left out overnight?

smilingjb · May 2011

Poll below!![Poll]

itskacie · May 2011

I answered yes - and I have done it before! Mmmm, pizza.

dmoreilly · May 2011

I wouldn't but DH does.

indigo91804 · May 2011

I won't eat anything left out over night. Blech!

smilingjb · May 2011

Should I add that it's a pepporoni pizza from pagliacci

Seattle_JiLLn · May 2011

eh it's fine.

tfarabians · May 2011

I said no but that is because you said it was left out at work overnight, if it was just left out in my own kitchen I would probably say ok lol

~Lynchie~ · May 2011

I voted No, but in college Dh and his roommates would leave pizzas out on their counter for over a week and still eat it.. apparently none of them ever learned that food is best when kept refrigerated...

kaskade · May 2011

itskacie:
I answered yes - and I have done it before! Mmmm, pizza.

This. And it was yummy.

CDMay2006 · May 2011

At home, absolutely. At work, no.

WatchPot · May 2011

dmoreilly:
I wouldn't but DH does.

This.

doublem · May 2011

WatchPot:
dmoreilly:
I wouldn't but DH does.

This.

Me three.

nykola · May 2011

Pizza's totally fine if left out. It's already cooked. I've had many a slice at my own house when we forgot to toss it in the fridge. Raw food is another story, but Pizza is cooked probably even moreso than most food. It's full on baked and mushrooms, sausage and all that stuff is beyond recognition by the time a pizza is done baking. In cafes throughout Europe they leave that type of stuff out all the time.

Alli923 · May 2011

nykola:
Pizza's totally fine if left out. It's already cooked. I've had many a slice at my own house when we forgot to toss it in the fridge. Raw food is another story, but Pizza is cooked probably even moreso than most food. It's full on baked and mushrooms, sausage and all that stuff is beyond recognition by the time a pizza is done baking. In cafes throughout Europe they leave that type of stuff out all the time.

Um, I hate to break it to you, but that is so not true. Just because something has already been baked or cooked doesn't mean that it can't grow bacteria. There is a "danger zone" for food to grow bacteria and basically room temperature is it. Pizza does not fall into the baked goods category.

I don't eat anything that has been sitting out more than 2 hours. There are some exceptions to this rule, but pizza is not one of them.

LauraLynneC · May 2011

Overnight pizza yes

restaurant lemon in water, no.

~Lynchie~ · May 2011

Alli923:

nykola:
Pizza's totally fine if left out. It's already cooked. I've had many a slice at my own house when we forgot to toss it in the fridge. Raw food is another story, but Pizza is cooked probably even moreso than most food. It's full on baked and mushrooms, sausage and all that stuff is beyond recognition by the time a pizza is done baking. In cafes throughout Europe they leave that type of stuff out all the time.

Um, I hate to break it to you, but that is so not true. Just because something has already been baked or cooked doesn't mean that it can't grow bacteria. There is a "danger zone" for food to grow bacteria and basically room temperature is it. Pizza does not fall into the baked goods category.

I don't eat anything that has been sitting out more than 2 hours. There are some exceptions to this rule, but pizza is not one of them.

You took the words right out of my mouth, friend! I wouldnt eat sausage that has been sitting out all night, nor would I eat sausage pizza that has been sitting out. Just because it has been cooked does not mean it cannot grow any more bacteria.

Seattle_JiLLn · May 2011

~Lynchie~:
Alli923:

nykola:
Pizza's totally fine if left out. It's already cooked. I've had many a slice at my own house when we forgot to toss it in the fridge. Raw food is another story, but Pizza is cooked probably even moreso than most food. It's full on baked and mushrooms, sausage and all that stuff is beyond recognition by the time a pizza is done baking. In cafes throughout Europe they leave that type of stuff out all the time.
Um, I hate to break it to you, but that is so not true. Just because something has already been baked or cooked doesn't mean that it can't grow bacteria. There is a "danger zone" for food to grow bacteria and basically room temperature is it. Pizza does not fall into the baked goods category.
I don't eat anything that has been sitting out more than 2 hours. There are some exceptions to this rule, but pizza is not one of them.
You took the words right out of my mouth, friend! I wouldnt eat sausage that has been sitting out all night, nor would I eat sausage pizza that has been sitting out. Just because it has been cooked does not mean it cannot grow any more bacteria.

Yeah, you guys are totally right. But still, I'm not too squeamish and I would think it'd probably be fine. I wouldn't eat a piece of meat that was left out all night, so I probably am contradicting my own rules. But I also think that the food handling "rules" like this are overly cautious in this country because of fear of law suits. Now I do want them to be over cautious in a restaurant. So it's good they're there. But at home I'm more lax. I also eat raw cookie dough with wild abandon.

ChubbyCheekiesMom · May 2011

Um no

LauraLynneC · May 2011

Seattle_JiLLn:
I also eat raw cookie dough with wild abandon.

We grew up (and still occassionally) eat raw hamburger...just snitching little pieces when I'm making meatloaf or hamburgers - not like a full serving for dinner (because *that* would be weird...right? LOL)

Alli923 · May 2011

Seattle_JiLLn:
Yeah, you guys are totally right. But still, I'm not too squeamish and I would think it'd probably be fine. I wouldn't eat a piece of meat that was left out all night, so I probably am contradicting my own rules. But I also think that the food handling "rules" like this are overly cautious in this country because of fear of law suits. Now I do want them to be over cautious in a restaurant. So it's good they're there. But at home I'm more lax. I also eat raw cookie dough with wild abandon.

Ha, not so much about fear of lawsuits and more about the increased knowledge that food borne illnesses can easily be avoided by following a few simple "rules".

Seattle_JiLLn · May 2011

Alli923:
Seattle_JiLLn:
Yeah, you guys are totally right. But still, I'm not too squeamish and I would think it'd probably be fine. I wouldn't eat a piece of meat that was left out all night, so I probably am contradicting my own rules. But I also think that the food handling "rules" like this are overly cautious in this country because of fear of law suits. Now I do want them to be over cautious in a restaurant. So it's good they're there. But at home I'm more lax. I also eat raw cookie dough with wild abandon.
Ha, not so much about fear of lawsuits and more about the increased knowledge that food borne illnesses can easily be avoided by following a few simple "rules".

I think though that the foodborne illnesses are generally super rare, but we treat all food as if it's possibly deadly... .like salmonella in eggs... it's really rare, but they make a blanket policy that any raw egg is to be avoided.

nykola · May 2011

Seattle_JiLLn:
~Lynchie~:
Alli923:

nykola:
Pizza's totally fine if left out. It's already cooked. I've had many a slice at my own house when we forgot to toss it in the fridge. Raw food is another story, but Pizza is cooked probably even moreso than most food. It's full on baked and mushrooms, sausage and all that stuff is beyond recognition by the time a pizza is done baking. In cafes throughout Europe they leave that type of stuff out all the time.
Um, I hate to break it to you, but that is so not true. Just because something has already been baked or cooked doesn't mean that it can't grow bacteria. There is a "danger zone" for food to grow bacteria and basically room temperature is it. Pizza does not fall into the baked goods category.
I don't eat anything that has been sitting out more than 2 hours. There are some exceptions to this rule, but pizza is not one of them.
You took the words right out of my mouth, friend! I wouldnt eat sausage that has been sitting out all night, nor would I eat sausage pizza that has been sitting out. Just because it has been cooked does not mean it cannot grow any more bacteria.
Yeah, you guys are totally right. But still, I'm not too squeamish and I would think it'd probably be fine. I wouldn't eat a piece of meat that was left out all night, so I probably am contradicting my own rules. But I also think that the food handling "rules" like this are overly cautious in this country because of fear of law suits. Now I do want them to be over cautious in a restaurant. So it's good they're there. But at home I'm more lax. I also eat raw cookie dough with wild abandon.

Never once has hurt my belly! Never said bacteria couldn't grow. Just said it's not really a danger to anyone at that point. After 2 days, another story. I don't see how it's any different than a restaurant that has something sitting out all day (e.g. Panera egg souffle sit there a good 8 hours). I get that bacteria can grow, but not all bacteria is bad for us. In fact, it has to get pretty bad to make us sick and we carry enough antibodies for it not to be an issue. Not to mention there's so much salt in cheese and many of our cooked meats that it's dang near impossible for any type of dangerous thing to grow in less than a 12 hour period. Remember when they used to use salt as a preservative in abcense of a fridge? Kiddos are different. I'm anal about that stuff with my kid. But we have very different standards in this country I've noticed (we refrigerate eggs and milk for example). If you guys are balking at this, you'd be disgusted to see what the Brits do. Sandwiches with mayo on them just sitting out...ALL day.

If it involves eggs, I'm completely anal though. Even though fresh eggs are perfectly fine if left out. It's just my own cultural preference

Seattle_JiLLn · May 2011

LauraLynneC:
Seattle_JiLLn:
I also eat raw cookie dough with wild abandon.
We grew up (and still occassionally) eat raw hamburger...just snitching little pieces when I'm making meatloaf or hamburgers - not like a full serving for dinner (because *that* would be weird...right? LOL)

My mom grew up like that, but her dad was a cattle farmer and it was their own beef... No way I'd do that now... Or even then for that matter. Yuck. But then again, I like things cooked medium rare, so maybe I'm not that far off.

GKNexton1208 · May 2011

nykola:
It's just my own cultural preference

I wasn't aware that King County had a culture.

Alli923 · May 2011

nykola:
Never once has hurt my belly! Never said bacteria couldn't grow. Just said it's not really a danger to anyone at that point. After 2 days, another story. I don't see how it's any different than a restaurant that has something sitting out all day (e.g. Panera egg souffle sit there a good 8 hours). I get that bacteria can grow, but not all bacteria is bad for us. In fact, it has to get pretty bad to make us sick and we carry enough antibodies for it not to be an issue. Not to mention there's so much salt in cheese and many of our cooked meats that it's dang near impossible for any type of dangerous thing to grow in less than a 12 hour period. Remember when they used to use salt as a preservative in abcense of a fridge? Kiddos are different. I'm anal about that stuff with my kid. But we have very different standards in this country I've noticed (we refrigerate eggs and milk for example). If you guys are balking at this, you'd be disgusted to see what the Brits do. Sandwiches with mayo on them just sitting out...ALL day.
If it involves eggs, I'm completely anal though. Even though fresh eggs are perfectly fine if left out. It's just my own cultural preference

Just because you haven't gotten sick yet doesn't mean that it isn't possible and that doesn't mean that the food you're leaving out isn't growing bacteria that can't be dangerous.

nykola · May 2011

Alli923:
nykola:
Never once has hurt my belly! Never said bacteria couldn't grow. Just said it's not really a danger to anyone at that point. After 2 days, another story. I don't see how it's any different than a restaurant that has something sitting out all day (e.g. Panera egg souffle sit there a good 8 hours). I get that bacteria can grow, but not all bacteria is bad for us. In fact, it has to get pretty bad to make us sick and we carry enough antibodies for it not to be an issue. Not to mention there's so much salt in cheese and many of our cooked meats that it's dang near impossible for any type of dangerous thing to grow in less than a 12 hour period. Remember when they used to use salt as a preservative in abcense of a fridge? Kiddos are different. I'm anal about that stuff with my kid. But we have very different standards in this country I've noticed (we refrigerate eggs and milk for example). If you guys are balking at this, you'd be disgusted to see what the Brits do. Sandwiches with mayo on them just sitting out...ALL day.
If it involves eggs, I'm completely anal though. Even though fresh eggs are perfectly fine if left out. It's just my own cultural preference
Just because you haven't gotten sick yet doesn't mean that it isn't possible and that doesn't mean that the food you're leaving out isn't growing bacteria that can't be dangerous.

Whoa whoa..."the food I'm leaving out?"...for the record, I don't make a habit of leaving food out and eating it, and in fact, I'm pretty anal about not doing so. My husband calls me the fridge dictator. So this isn't some regular occurrence. But the question was if I'd eat pizza that was left out. So the answer is, at work, no, but at home yeah and I've done it before. I can't really think of any other food other than baked goods I'd do this with. Everything has a time clock. Even muffins eventually grow mold and bacteria when left out. I think where we differ on opinion is if the next time clock on pizza is in fact dangerous and I think it depends on the type of pizza and isn't just a black and white "yes or no." But on that we can agree to disagree or maybe just get a food scientist in here.