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I made tomato sauce with browned pork roast pieces in it and cooked it for around 6 hours and left overnight by mistake until the next morning. Lots of sodium and water. My apartment a/c is set at 75 degrees C. Can this be safely eaten after reheated to boiling for an hour and then refrigerated before eating for dinner that night?

Josie
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  • 75° C = 167° F I highly doubt this was the actual temperature of the apartment. – Debbie M. Jul 09 '17 at 18:24
  • My a/c is set for 75 degrees C. it is summer and hot outside. I have a digital thermostat. What is your point Debbie? I appreciate your help. – Josie Jul 09 '17 at 18:30
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    I think you are be messing up your temperature scales. 75° F(arenheit) is a comfortable room temperature. 75° C(elsuis) is 25° hotter than the hottest spot on the planet in the last 24 hours (Semawa, Iraq at 49.5° C) – YosemiteMark Jul 09 '17 at 18:59
  • thank you both for your help! I really appreciate it! My family and I enjoyed the sauce with the pork and it was delicious! Thank you all for your comments and help! – Josie Jul 10 '17 at 16:32

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It is not possible that your A/C is set to 75°C. That's significantly hotter than the hottest outdoor temperature ever recorded on earth (54C or 129F). Yes, food held at 75 degrees centigrade is out of the danger zone. If, however, the A/C is really set to 75 degrees Fahrenheit (which is a normal room temperature), the food will not be safe, unless it is extremely acidic (compare ketchup). While salt can be a preservative (compare kimchi and salty pickles), excess water inhibits that effect.

Jolenealaska
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rackandboneman
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  • rackandboneman: I only added water to reheat this morning before refrigerating. Is it still ok to cook to boiling before eating tonight? – Josie Jul 09 '17 at 18:28
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    @JosieFerro Please be sure you understand. Your apartment temperature WAS NOT 75C. From [Wiki](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highest_temperature_recorded_on_Earth): "The highest confirmed temperature on Earth... was 54.0 °C (129.2 °F) recorded both in Death Valley, California on 20 June 2013, and in Mitribah, Kuwait on 21 July 2016". Your apartment is 75F, which IS in the danger zone. Your sauce was in the danger zone too long to be considered safe. I edited the answer to hopefully make it abundantly clear. – Jolenealaska Jul 09 '17 at 19:18
  • Hey, it was my job to be deadpan (though I thought it was still unambigous :) ), and her job to clarify for posterity:). I think salt concentrations and when they are enough to preserve (or guarantee lactic fermentation) should be made another (interesting) question :) – rackandboneman Jul 10 '17 at 08:31
  • Background: In food safety circles, the term "water activity" is used a lot. It is very relevant when determining whether a food is or is not a perishable food subject to 2/4 hour rule. The lower the more stable. Salt and sugar lower it. Water raises it. Acid helps if it is concentrated enough. Very salty food tends to safely ferment, creating acid that also helps. Water dilutes acid. Salty and acidic enough to be stable is likely going to be condiment grade salty and acidic, not palatable bulk food grade. – rackandboneman Jul 10 '17 at 22:45