What should be done with food that has been left out for more than 2 hours?

When food has been left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours, the best practice is to discard it. This timeframe is critical because bacteria can multiply rapidly in the "danger zone" of temperatures between 41°F and 135°F (5°C and 57°C). After two hours, the risk of foodborne illness significantly increases as pathogens can reach dangerous levels.

Refrigerating the food immediately is not an effective solution because the food has already been exposed to unsafe temperatures for too long, allowing bacteria to thrive. Cooking the food at a higher temperature may kill some bacteria but will not eliminate the toxins that may have been produced by any bacteria that grew during the time the food was left out. Tasting the food before serving it is also not a reliable method since food can be contaminated without any obvious signs, and tasting it doesn’t guarantee safety.

Thus, the most responsible action when food has sat out too long is to discard it to ensure food safety and prevent potential health risks.