Can I eat this: doomed (?) cheese and aged meat edition

December 4, 2013 1:20 PM

Yesterday I bought: A block of cream havarti. A chorizo panino, mozz rolled with chorizo and pepponcini. A role of mozz and soppressata. This is like my food Holy Trinity, my food boyfriend in three parts. And how did I treat this wealth of goodness? Well, I stuffed it into my backpack at 12PM, remembered the next day at 7:00 AM and stuck them in the fridge and prayed for their meaty cheesy souls.

So: can I consummate my union with my delicious foodstuffs without poisoning? PLEASE can I eat this?

posted by angrycat to Food & Drink (13 answers total)

I've said it before in these threads, and I'll say it again: why do you think cheese and cured meats exist? The food items listed above were literally invented to last for ages because refrigerators did not exist back then. Cheese and cured meats? Those are the number one things you can TOTALLY leave out for a few hours.
posted by showbiz_liz at 1:24 PM on December 4, 2013

The meats are cured and the cheese is fine unrefrigerated for say 24 hours and I would totally steal your boyfriend and eat all of that.
posted by DarlingBri at 1:25 PM on December 4, 2013

Yes, you can totally eat that. NOM
posted by Specklet at 1:25 PM on December 4, 2013

If they were in their original wrapping and and smell/taste okay, I'd eat 'em. Here's the deal: there are two ways food can make you sick - from external organisms that grow on it and from the products of decomposition that grow IN it. I really don't think being temporarily warmed up in a backpack will make the LATTER process happen super-quickly (although it might accelerate it a LITTLE bit). So you're really worried about the FIRST potential-food-poisoning process... external beasties. If your food was made from pasteurized milk processed in a first-world nation (with requisite food inspectors), it was almost certainly SUPER-safe when it was packaged. If it's still in its initial wrap, it's likely still good. Chow down!
posted by julthumbscrew at 1:26 PM on December 4, 2013

Seconding showbiz_liz, for the exact same reasons.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 1:28 PM on December 4, 2013

HOORAY
(cheese and meat party at my place, thanks guys)
posted by angrycat at 1:29 PM on December 4, 2013

I have definitely taken havarti on day-long hiking trips in the summer, brought the leftovers home, thrown them in the fridge, and happily eaten them for days with no ill effects.

They're sometimes a Little less awesome in texture than the fresh item. But that's all I'd be worried about with that boyfriend. No red flags, I'd totally steal him and eat all of that, too.
posted by ldthomps at 1:30 PM on December 4, 2013

Yes eat it. I recently forgot a half pack of provolone in my backpack for about the exact amount of time (20 hours) and have been happily eating it with no ill effect.

When I lived in Seoul and prosciutto was even more absurdly expensive, my pal in SF mailed me cured meats in an envelope. It was heavenly.

Do eeeeet. Eat eeeet.
posted by spamandkimchi at 1:31 PM on December 4, 2013

The meat should be fine. I'd smell both the cheese and meat for traces of any kind of acidity/fermentation (it may be difficult to tell with the cheese, but since you've had them before you should be familiar with what they're 'supposed' to smell like on their own). But then, even if it's become a little funky, your stomach acid should be strong enough to deal, so I wouldn't worry about it.

The only thing I'd worry about is if anything was made/handled, like a deli-sandwich, because of contaminants. Or any condiments that are meant to be refrigerated. Again, it should probably be fine.

There's another problem now, though. I'm really hungry after this post.
posted by Dimes at 1:32 PM on December 4, 2013

I would eat it. We left some French cheese in the car for an entire day. Then left it in the hotel all night. I ate it the next day on a baguette. I'm still alive.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 1:37 PM on December 4, 2013

I'm pretty cautious about food, but I would not hesistate to eat the cheese. The panino might make me a little nervous but on the other hand, I've eaten pepperoni pizza that sat out all night without consequence so probably about the same difference.

Sounds yummy. :)
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 1:44 PM on December 4, 2013

I think you'll have problems with the chorizo if you mean the sausage that is spiced and then cooked but not cured. That's what it usually is in my area -- fresh pork sausage. The other things should be ok, though.
posted by Houstonian at 4:58 PM on December 4, 2013

well, dear readers, I gorged, and all was well.
Thanks everybody!
posted by angrycat at 5:44 AM on December 5, 2013