If unsure how long a TCS food has been stored at room temperature, what should you do?

When it comes to time and temperature control for safety (TCS) foods, it's essential to prioritize food safety to prevent foodborne illnesses. If there is uncertainty about how long TCS food has been stored at room temperature, discarding it is the safest option. This is because TCS foods are highly susceptible to bacterial growth when not stored under safe temperature conditions.

Leaving the food out longer or cooking it thoroughly does not guarantee that harmful bacteria or toxins, which may have developed during unsafe storage, are eliminated. Refrigerating the food could temporarily halt further bacterial growth, but it does not erase any potential risk from prior exposure to the danger zone of temperatures for extended periods. Thus, for safety reasons, when in doubt about the safety of TCS foods that have been at room temperature, throwing the food away is the prudent action to ensure health and safety standards are maintained.