Food Safety Quick Reference
The essential rules for keeping food safe at home. Print this page and stick it on your fridge.
When in doubt, throw it out. No meal is worth food poisoning. If food looks, smells, or feels off, discard it regardless of how many days it has been.
The 2-Hour Rule
Perishable food should not be left at room temperature for more than 2 hours. If the room temperature is above 90°F (like at a summer barbecue or in a hot car), the window drops to 1 hour.
After that window, bacteria have multiplied to potentially unsafe levels and the food should be discarded. Reheating does not make it safe because some bacterial toxins are heat-resistant.
This rule applies to all perishable foods: meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, cooked rice, cooked pasta, cut fruit, and any prepared foods.
The Danger Zone: 40°F to 140°F
Bacteria multiply most rapidly between 40°F and 140°F (4°C to 60°C). This range is called the "danger zone." Your goal is to keep food out of this range as much as possible.
Cold food should be kept at 40°F or below (your refrigerator). Hot food should be kept at 140°F or above (warming trays, slow cookers on "warm"). The danger zone is the in-between, and that is where food sits when it is left on the counter.
I Left Food Out Overnight. Is It Safe?
No. Food left at room temperature overnight (more than 2 hours) has been in the danger zone long enough for bacteria to multiply to unsafe levels. This applies even if the food looks and smells fine.
Common overnight scenarios and the answer for each:
| Food | Left out overnight? |
|---|---|
| Cooked chicken, beef, pork, seafood | Discard |
| Pizza | Discard |
| Cooked rice or pasta | Discard (Bacillus cereus risk) |
| Eggs (cooked or raw) | Discard |
| Milk, cream, yogurt | Discard |
| Cut fruit | Discard |
| Butter | Generally safe (high fat, low moisture) |
| Hard cheese | Generally safe |
| Bread | Safe |
| Whole uncut fruit | Safe |
| Unopened condiments (ketchup, mustard) | Safe |
Safe Internal Cooking Temperatures
These are the USDA minimum internal temperatures measured with an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the food.
| Food | Temperature |
|---|---|
| Poultry (chicken, turkey, duck) — all cuts | 165°F (74°C) |
| Ground meats (beef, pork, lamb) | 160°F (71°C) |
| Beef, pork, lamb, veal — steaks, chops, roasts | 145°F (63°C) + 3 min rest |
| Fish and shellfish | 145°F (63°C) |
| Eggs and egg dishes | 160°F (71°C) |
| Leftovers and casseroles | 165°F (74°C) |
| Ham (fresh or smoked, uncooked) | 145°F (63°C) + 3 min rest |
| Ham (reheating pre-cooked) | 165°F (74°C) |
Proper Cooling
Hot food needs to be cooled quickly before refrigerating. The goal is to move through the danger zone as fast as possible.
To cool food quickly: divide large portions into shallow containers, place the pot in an ice water bath and stir, or spread food on a sheet pan. Get it into the refrigerator within 2 hours of cooking.
Do not put a giant pot of hot soup directly in the fridge. It raises the temperature of everything around it and the center of the pot stays in the danger zone for hours.
Refrigerator and Freezer Temperature
Your refrigerator should be set to 40°F (4°C) or below. Your freezer should be set to 0°F (-18°C) or below. Use an appliance thermometer to verify; the built-in dial is often inaccurate.
Food frozen at 0°F is safe indefinitely. The storage times on this site are for quality, not safety. A chicken breast frozen for a year is safe to eat; it may just have some freezer burn.
A $10 instant-read thermometer is the single most important food safety tool you can own. It eliminates guessing about doneness, prevents overcooking, and can tell you if your leftovers have reached 165°F when reheated. Every kitchen should have one.
Frequently Asked Questions
The USDA recommends discarding perishable food left at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Pizza with meat, cheese, or vegetable toppings is perishable. While many people eat overnight pizza without getting sick, the food safety recommendation is to discard it.
No. Rice carries a specific risk from Bacillus cereus, a bacterium whose spores survive cooking. When cooked rice sits at room temperature, these spores can grow and produce toxins that are not destroyed by reheating. Always refrigerate cooked rice within 1 hour.
In the United States, yes. American eggs are washed during processing, which removes the natural protective coating (cuticle). This makes them vulnerable to bacteria and requires refrigeration. In many other countries, eggs are not washed and can be stored at room temperature.
Reheating kills most bacteria, but some bacteria produce heat-resistant toxins while growing at room temperature. These toxins are not destroyed by reheating. This is why the 2-hour rule exists: prevent the bacteria from growing in the first place, rather than trying to fix the problem after.
Source: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service | Our methodology