How long can food be left out of the fridge?
UK: cooked food should be cooled as quickly as possible, ideally within 1 to 2 hours, then refrigerated.
US: perishable food should not be left out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C).
Can I eat this?
Choose your country, tell us what happened to your food, and we’ll check the situation against supported official food-safety guidance.
- Based on official guidance
- No generative AI safety decision
- Practical household checks
Choose your country
How it works
- Choose your countryUK and US guidance are kept separate.
- Tell us what happenedAnswer a few questions about storage, time, temperature or the label on the food.
- See the guidanceThe checker applies predefined rules and shows the official sources behind the result.
Why trust the result?
Predefined rules use published official guidance, with separate UK and US source packs. Generative AI does not decide whether food is safe.
Read how decisions are madeSee official sourcesAbout Safe to Eat?
Common checks
Common household food-safety checks, tailored to the country you choose.
Common food-safety questions
Short answers from official UK and US guidance, with a full guide for each. The two countries’ rules differ, so both are shown.
How long do leftovers last in the fridge?
UK: properly cooled leftovers should be eaten within 2 days or frozen, and cooked rice within 24 hours.
US: properly handled cooked leftovers are generally kept for 3 to 4 days at 40°F (4°C) or below.
Can I eat rice that was left out?
UK: cooked rice should be chilled as quickly as possible, ideally within 1 hour, kept in the fridge for no more than a day and reheated only once.
US: this checker does not currently give a US answer for cooked rice.
Can I reheat leftovers more than once?
UK: do not reheat food more than once, and make sure it is steaming hot all the way through.
US: USDA says reheated leftovers should reach 165°F (73.9°C).
What is the safest way to defrost food?
Defrost in the fridge rather than on the worktop, and follow any instructions on the packet. Official UK and US guidance both advise against thawing food at room temperature.
Does a use-by or best-before date mean food is unsafe after it?
UK: a use-by date is a safety date, while best-before is about quality.
US: printed dates are generally about quality or inventory, not an automatic federal safety cutoff. Infant formula is the exception.
When we cannot confirm safely
Sometimes there is not enough information or official guidance for a confident answer. “Cannot confirm safely” does not mean the food is definitely unsafe.