What should be done with food that has been in the temperature danger zone for too long?

When food has been in the temperature danger zone—typically between 41°F and 135°F—for too long, the safest course of action is to discard it. This is because bacteria can proliferate rapidly in this temperature range, significantly increasing the risk of foodborne illness. Once food has been in this zone for a certain period, often defined by health safety guidelines as over two hours, it may develop harmful pathogens that cannot simply be removed by cooking or refrigeration.

Refrigerating or cooking the food doesn't eliminate the risk, as bacteria can produce toxins that survive those processes. Quick cooling or attempting to salvage the food may not effectively eliminate the health risks involved. Therefore, ensuring food safety often means erring on the side of caution by discarding food that has been compromised due to temperature abuse.