Ask NSF International

How long can foods be safely left out of the refrigerator?
Question:

How long can foods be safely left out of the refrigerator?
Answer:

Perishable cooked foods should be placed in the refrigerator or freezer within two hours of being cooked, or one hour on days over 90 degrees. To speed cooling, divide larger quantities of food into several smaller, shallow containers.

More food safety storage tips are available in the food safety section of the NSF website.
Category: Food Safety
Was this helpful?
   Email
   Print