Safe to Eat

General
1

I cooked boneless chicken breast 3/4 inch thick for 2 1/4 hours at 150 degrees (making chicken salad - this was my second batch). Took them out to cool down before putting them into the frig. Went to bed forgot about them. WOKE UP like I had 20 cups of JAVA about 6 hours after I took them out and put them in the frig. Since they were “pasteurized” (or would it need to be longer) are they safe to eat?

2

While they were pasteurised when they were taken out of the cooking bath, they have still been at ambient temperature for way longer than the recommended maximum of 4 hours (aggregate). It is really not worth the risk of food poisoning for a chicken breast.

3

Thanks. Hi, not trying to sound or being argumentative, when in doubt throw out…I just thought I ask. Remember when the Doctors said Smoking was good for you? Menthol was refreshing. I have many times, when younger and older eaten cold, not refrigerated, the night before pizza and have never gotten sick. KNOCK ON WOOD< METAL< GLASS. I have done something like this before of leaving food out and eating it and not getting sick. I should make notes.

4
  1. Pasteurised is not sterilised.
  2. Pasteurisation at sous vide temperatures does not kill botulinum bacteria. These are only rendered inactive. They may return to activity once temperature falls back into the danger zone. It is not the bacteria that are so much the danger but the toxins they produce.
  3. Even reprocessing the chicken to pasteurise it again would not kill botulinum toxins.
  4. Surviving Russian roulette once doesn’t make the next trigger pull safer.
5

Gman, those doctors were working with deadly alternate facts before it was as fashionable as it is currently.

You might want to reconsider equating your youthful pizza handling technique with keeping safe chicken, two very different products. Bread and most pizza toppings aren’t laced with bacteria.

Food safety is as much an attitude as knowledge based. Do you have the basic habit of ice-bath chilling after SV to minimize the development of harmful toxins? Any cooking for future use requires a thorough chilling.

In case you’re wonder how long, it takes 50 minutes in a 50% ice bath to chill to the core a 1-inch thick product. Plan on a 2 3/4 hour ice bath for a 2-inch thick food item.

6

Thanks Chatnoir, No I do not have the have habit of Ice-bath chilling after SV. I will follow your suggestions. I usually let them cool down on the cutting board then throw them in the freezer.

7

Thank you Ember, Duly Noted.

8

Gman, to slow down the growth of pathogens you want your food to get below 40ᴼF/4.4ᴼC ASAP. The quicker that’s accomplished the lower the number bacteria you have multiplying while refrigerated.

Make it a habit and be well.