What should be done with leftover food that has been sitting out for more than two hours?

When food has been sitting out for more than two hours, it falls into a category known as the danger zone, which refers to temperatures between 40°F and 140°F where bacteria can grow rapidly. This is a critical food safety issue because harmful pathogens can multiply to levels that may cause foodborne illness.

The best practice in this situation is to discard the food. This ensures that there is no risk of consuming potentially unsafe food. Previous health guidelines emphasize that perishable foods should not be left out at room temperature for more than two hours, especially in situations where the ambient temperature is higher.

Storing the food for later use, refrigerating it, or reheating it may seemingly offer a solution, but these actions do not eliminate the risks associated with the bacteria that may have developed during the time the food was left out. Thus, discarding the food is the most effective measure for ensuring food safety.