Can you get food poisoning if chili is left out?

Answer 1

I've read many posts about this issue, and I'm not an expert. Some people claim that any food left out anywhere for more than two hours is guaranteed to make you sick for days. So first, if you feel more comfortable throwing it out - do it. You may make yourself sick with worry rather than the actual food. I take a practical approach. Here's the answer IMHO:

Assuming the chili has no harmful bacteria when initially cooked - it was properly cooked and safe to eat, then the cooked chili and pot were essentially sanitized. Assuming the serving was not buffet style with an open pot for an extended period, then the exposure during serving was limited. Assuming that the pot was covered while warm after cooking, and kept covered during the cooling period, then any outside bacteria would have a hard time getting into the pot and growing substantially overnight.

To minimize risk, reheat the chili to boiling before eating to kill any potential bacteria. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes or so. Anything not killed by that was probably in the chili initially, and would have caused a problem when the chili was first served. Most chili is acidic, so any growth would be limited.

CAVEAT: If the chili was handled by many people during serving (like a pot luck dinner), left open to the air overnight, or contained dairy - throw it out. It may not be harmful, but I don't think it's worth the risk. IMHO.

Answer 2

Yes. If the chili has been left out long enough or was not packaged or cooled properly, pathogens could have grown which could make one ill.