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How long is danagerous - I failed to put a raw chicken in the fridge?

(103 Posts)
Jess20 Wed 25-Mar-20 16:13:07

I may have to change my name after this - I got a food delivery 3 days ago and thought I'd taken out the perishables and washed them etc but managed to miss a chicken and thought it had been left off the delivery. Finally clearing the box I found it. Room temp, 3 days, a tad whiffy but no not crawling, I washed it to be sure (bleached sink afterwards, rubber disposable gloves etc).

I am cooking it right now, and will do so very thoroughly. My family were farmers, my grandparents were farming way before anyone had a fridge and they would have cooked and eaten it.

I'm less worried about who would still eat it than how safe it is to eat.

We may all be making choices like this over the next few months, hopfully won't get food poisoning. Any microbiologists, food experts out there?

annsixty Wed 25-Mar-20 16:15:53

Well sorry but I wouldn't risk it

It has been very warm for the last thtee days.
Do not risk an upset stomach at a very vulnerable time.

gillybob Wed 25-Mar-20 16:17:31

I’m with Annsixty I’m not sure I would eat it either . If it had been in a cold place maybe but room temp for 3 days I don’t think I’d risk it .

Eglantine21 Wed 25-Mar-20 16:20:33

I wouldn’t take the risk either. The NHS doesn’t need to be dealing with food poisoning right now.

Your farming family probably had a whole load of gut bacteria for dealing with slightly off food, that we don’t have in these hygenic days.

Bread and cheese for dinner.

(No I haven’t got any of those either)?

endlessstrife Wed 25-Mar-20 16:22:16

I personally wouldn’t chance it. What does it smell like cooking? I once had this joint of lamb that smelt out of synch while cooking, but I wasn’t sure. When I brought the kids in from school, they all squeezed their noses and said, “ yeuch, what’s that smell?” I took it out of the oven, and back down to Sainsbury’s, where I got my money back! It’s not worth it Jess. The last thing you need now is food poisoning ?. Take care.

Curlywhirly Wed 25-Mar-20 16:22:34

Definitely wouldn't eat it. If it had been left in a cold garage, fine, but if not, no, as it has been warm for the last few days.

Sparklefizz Wed 25-Mar-20 16:23:03

I wouldn't risk it either for all the reasons given above.

aggie Wed 25-Mar-20 16:29:35

good grief , you did everything wrong ! Out of the fridge for THREE DAYS , WASHED IT , COOKED IT dump it for goodness sake , surely you arent that desperate

Smileless2012 Wed 25-Mar-20 16:34:31

No don't eat it, throw it away.

Calendargirl Wed 25-Mar-20 16:51:39

I’m a great one for not wasting food, but ‘a tad whiffy’?
No, I’m with everyone else, don’t eat it.

EllanVannin Wed 25-Mar-20 17:07:56

BIN !!

EllanVannin Wed 25-Mar-20 17:09:31

I won't even eat a cooked chicken beyond 2 days ! Out it goes.

MaizieD Wed 25-Mar-20 17:22:58

I'm fairly relaxed about sell by dates etc, but I did used to work in hospital catering and I'd say definitely bin it

Or give it to the dog if you have one.

Callistemon Wed 25-Mar-20 17:27:43

I'm fairly relaxed too but I would definitely bin it.

Egg and chips for dinner?

Whitewavemark2 Wed 25-Mar-20 17:27:51

Your nose has told you - it is off☠️

Whitewavemark2 Wed 25-Mar-20 17:28:30

Ooh egg and chips with ketchup yum yum

Grannynannywanny Wed 25-Mar-20 18:06:14

I definitely wouldn’t eat it. Think of the consequences...and the loo roll shortage!

midgey Wed 25-Mar-20 18:09:52

Give it to the dog!

nanaK54 Wed 25-Mar-20 18:17:42

Please don't eat it and please don't give to the dog either sad the bin is the only place for it

M0nica Wed 25-Mar-20 18:17:53

I am usually prepared to cook and eat many things in the food line that more cautious people would not, but I must admit that this is one step too far even for me! It would be in the food waste bin.

Missfoodlove Wed 25-Mar-20 18:20:03

No,no, no!!!
I have had campylobacter.... it is horrendous and with the current loo roll situation could be catastrophic.
Never mess with poultry.

bikergran Wed 25-Mar-20 18:27:38

If we find any fresh food in our supermarket it has to be thrown(due to the selfish lazy people who put items in their trolley then half way round decide they don't want them) and dump them anywhere.

Our policy if I rem correctly is 20 minutes, so example if you get to my checkout and you decide you don;t want that chilled item, I have to send for a runner to put it straight back.
No way would I eat it not even if it had been left out for less than half a day.

SalsaQueen Wed 25-Mar-20 19:09:38

3 days? I wouldn't have risked it. Also, the advice is NOT to wash chicken, as the bacteria can be spread more when the water splashes onto it. I would have thrown it away.

Hetty58 Wed 25-Mar-20 19:17:03

Why risk it? Are you starving? Do you want to be ill? Do you have a death wish? Assuming it's a no to all of those, if you really don't want to waste it - perhaps the local foxes might give it a go!

Smileless2012 Wed 25-Mar-20 19:20:11

Oh no, don't give it to your dog, if you have one, either!!