How Long Can Potato Salad Sit Out?
In simple terms, potato salad can sit out only for two hours, after which it will start to go bad as it is a perishable item. This time frame should be cut down to one hour if the temperature is higher than ninety degree Fahrenheit to prevent bacteria from growing at a faster pace.
In this short tutorial, we will answer How Long Can Potato Salad Last?, through a thorough analysis of potato salads shelf life at room temperature. To put in simple terms, if you have been keeping your potato salad at room temperature longer than 1 -2 hours on the counter, or longer than 3-4 days in the refrigerator, you should toss it. If you leave the salad in the warmer temperatures for longer than one hour, you are better off finishing within two days.
You should toss out a salad that has been sitting at room temperature for longer than two hours, or longer, if it is more than 90degF (or 32degC). Allowing salad, or any food, to sit in a dangerous temperature zone for longer than two hours is inviting bacteria. Bacteria in foods can grow to a dangerous level within approximately two hours, so you want to keep foods out of the Danger Zone as much as possible (between 41 degrees and 135 degrees F).
| Storage | Temperature | Shelf Life |
| Kitchen counter | 60-68°F | 2 hours |
| In the refrigerator | 32-34°F | 3-5 days |
| Freezer | 0°F | 3 months |
That is because the bacteria that cause food poisoning, such as Staphylococcus aureus, are at their most potent when foods are between 40 degrees F. and 140 degrees F. Harmful bacteria can quickly grow on cuttings, including lettuce, that have been left at room temperature for long periods. As you can see, bacterial growth is possible in any summer salad, not just those containing mayonnaise, when the conditions are right. If you are using canned potatoes from your own house, the botulism toxin, produced by bacteria under conditions of no oxygen, could become a problem.
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Potatoes are highly absorbent, and they can rapidly soak up any added ingredients through their skins. They can easily become contaminated if left outside for too long, or handled incorrectly once cooked. The reason why is that potatoes soak up water from the air, allowing them to become watery if left outside too long. Potatoes are fairly neutral in pH (acid to alkaline), so when left out, they let bad things grow.
If you really choose to refrigerate the potatoes, no matter what, then the potatoes will keep three or four weeks, but will have developed a mild flavor once cooked. Once you take your potatoes out of the fridge, allow them to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. To maximize shelf life for both safety and quality, store potatoes in shallow, airtight containers or in sealed plastic bags. Once a potato is cooked, it must be kept in the safe zone for temperature, remembering that hot foods are hotter, while cold foods are cooler.
If you want to learn more about potato salads, then check out my another article on that How Long Can Potato Salad Stay In The Fridge?
Raw potatoes should not be kept in the fridge because the cold temperatures will increase the amount of reduced sugars and will make it more carcinogenic if they are fried or baked. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says potatoes become hazardous when kept at temperatures over 41 degrees F. for more than 2 hours. It is important to keep in mind that while potatoes are usually safe for eating, they do carry risks. Just like pretty much any other perishable, a potato salad should never be left outside for longer than two hours, or at least the U.S. Department of Agriculture says so.
Since it will go bad within a couple hours if left outside of the refrigerator, potato salad should always be refrigerated unless you plan on eating all of it right away. Potato salad can keep at room temperature for one to two hours, and it keeps for three to five days in the refrigerator. While potato salad often will keep for a little longer than the mentioned two hours, leaving it out overnight is just way too much, so you would better throw it away right away. Since bacteria grow extremely rapidly in temperatures ranging from 40degF to 140degF, a potato salad left out for an extended period of time can actually turn it into a hazard to eat, so you are best off throwing it away ASAP.
As the U.S. Department of Agriculture says, you should not leave your potato salad out for longer than two hours if you want to make sure that it is perfectly safe to eat, because bacteria grow at temperatures between 40 degF and 140 degF. When kept out of the refrigerator, the risk is that the potatoes salad will develop bacteria, which could decrease that by an hour if temperatures are about 90 degrees F. It is best to keep potato salad on one of the shelves in your fridge, not on the door, because the refrigerator door experiences many temperature fluctuations. You should throw away the potato salad which has been left out for over 2 hours because the bacteria growth happens quickly in temperatures of 40-140 degrees F., so the chances are high that your potato salad is already infected with bacteria if it has been left out for over 2 hours.
This tip may come in handy if one of your salad dressings has the tendency of splitting out or breaking up after one to two days of storing. A useful tip for making sure the salad does not spoil too early in a meal is to consider making the salad without dressing, and adding the dressing separately before serving. It is best to discard any leftovers if you took the salad to picnics on warm summer days.
If the salad feels slimy or slimy to the touch, you should throw it out, as that texture indicates contamination by pathogenic bacteria or yeast. Your salads texture will be compromised, and it will have a much different flavor than what you are used to. Since this salad does not freeze very well, it may come apart, and the extremely cold temperatures within your freezer may cause each crunchy vegetable in your salad to mush.
If you eat potato salad which has gone bad, this may lead to food poisoning which is characterized by nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, fever, weakness, headache, and dehydration. Consuming potato salad that has gone bad also increases your body temperature, and you may experience a fever, which is your bodys natural protective mechanism and an indication that something is wrong with your body. The reason is bacteria thrives in temperatures 40F-140F, making perishable foods go bad just at the drop of a hat.
Potatoes are not the only ingredients in a salad, they also have mayonnaise and eggs, both of which help in the process of spoilage. Adding it gives the fruit salad that extra kick, while dicing up potatoes absorbs all of the fruits delicious flavors.
Why do my potatoes turn sour in the salad?
There is a risk if you leave boiling potatoes at room temperature for more than two hours, as bacteria will begin to form and multiply. Additionally, if you add dairy to the potato salad, the risk increases dramatically. The dairy will turn, giving the potatoes a sour taste, and mold may even appear.
What happens if you leave potato salad out?
When food is kept in the temperature risk zone for more than two hours, even salad, bacteria are welcomed. If the temperature is higher than 90 degrees Fahrenheit, this period is shortened to one hour. The majority of the germs that would reside in your salad would welcome the plentiful oxygen.
How long can mayonnaise sit out at room temperature?
You should discard mayonnaise that has been left out overnight without being refrigerated due to the perishable nature of this condiment. Until you develop food poisoning, it can be totally fine. Moreover, the FDA generally advises discarding perishable items, such as mayo, that have been left out at room temperature for two hours or longer.