Food defrosted by accident, risk eating or not ?

BensonBooga

So over the last week I have been using a back-up chest freezer in the shed while awaiting our new freezer which arrived today. So I went in to the shed to get my food out ready to put in to the new freezer. I noticed a smell of southern friend chicken, and I then noticed a large carrier bag of food had been left out on the table next to the freezer, this is sometimes done briefly when trying to get lower in the freezer, but of course the bag is meant to go back in before I leave the shed, it was all soft and defrosted. I put all the food from the main freezer in large carrier bags in the chest freezer as it was only there temporary so was easier to transport. The problem is I don't know how long the bag had been left out. 

It is probably 2 days ago as I went in there to get some ice packs out, so must have just forgot to put the bag back in the freezer, as all the food is in various carriers. Lots of things like chicken steaks, fish fingers/cakes, chicken nuggets, etc. I believe it is all pre-cooked type food that just needs heating up in the oven. Some of the food, like chicken steaks, are in sealed plastic type boxes. 

Will the oven cook out all the bacteria if any grew ? How risky is it ? Fish doesn't smell off, but then it is just fish cakes and fingers, not raw fish. If it was just a couple of packs of food I would chuck it, but it was a big bag full of unopened food worth around £25 in total.

What would you do ? How long left out in a shed to defrost would you find it too long ? I guess at least it was a shed temperature and not indoors warmth. At the moment I have put it all in the fridge to work out what to do.    

Bue21

As long as it doesn’t smell and you thoroughly re cook it you should be ok. Use a food thermometer and make sure it reaches over 75C when cooking.

Bigphil1474

Bacteria is killed off at 63oC and above, so as above cook it thoroughly and it will be microbiologically safe. There is some risk of spoilage which is different, but not likely in 2 days although it was quite warm yesterday. If it's all processed foods that normally needs cooking from frozen, you could cook it all as is, then eat over the next couple of days.

Defrosted raw chicken can then be cooked and then refrozen, not sure about processed fish and chicken products. I wouldn't risk it

Eldi_Dos

If bacteria is allowed to form they produce toxins, while heating may kill off the bacteria the toxins will still remain.

Another thing to consider is the age and general health of who may consume the food.

Myself I would most definitely bin it.

Section62

Eldi_Dos said:

If bacteria is allowed to form they produce toxins, while heating may kill off the bacteria the toxins will still remain.

Another thing to consider is the age and general health of who may consume the food.

Myself I would most definitely bin it.

^This

The smell of food isn't a reliable test of whether it is safe to eat.  If it has been left defrosting for an unknown amount of time at an unknown ambient temperature there is no way of knowing (without professional testing) whether it is still safe to eat.

https://www.food.gov.uk/print/pdf/node/271

https://www.food.gov.uk/safety-hygiene/how-to-chill-freeze-and-defrost-food-safely

silvercar

Bin it. It’s been out for 2 days! You wouldn’t leave chicken out in your kitchen for 2 days.

chicken and fish I would bin. The only thing I would consider refreezing or using is cake.

elsien

Yes, I’m another vote for the bin it brigade. Not knowing how long it had been there and not knowing what the temperature in the room had got up to would be the clincher.
I’m not precious about food past its use by date, but the smell test is not 100% reliable and you can still get ill. 

DullGreyGuy

The Mrs would eat it, I would bin it. 

You say you think it was 2 days which means it could actually have been longer which increases the risk of illness. 

chrisw

Bin it. You won't enjoy eating it as you'll be constantly wondering whether it tastes a bit off. £25 isn't a huge amount in the scheme of things.

Albermarle

Save £25 vs a risk ( small but present ) of being really ill . 

No decision really.

Cherryfudge

I once ate fish that had been left out and gave myself food poisoning. Horrible. I'm afraid I'd bin it, though bread/cake should be okay provided nothing can have leaked into it, in which case it's as high risk as other food.

It's not worth the risk.