Is uncooked beef left on counter overnight safe?

Bacteria thrive in warm, moist environments, and that describes your unrefrigerated beef.

According to the USDA, bacteria can multiply rapidly at temperatures between 40°F and 140°F, so that beef you left out on the counter overnight is in the prime temperature range for bacterial growth.

Some of the bacteria that can cause foodborne illness in beef include:

- *E. coli*

- Salmonella

- Listeria

- Clostridium perfringens

Symptoms of foodborne illness:

If you do happen to eat beef that has been contaminated with bacteria, you may develop foodborne illness symptoms such as:

- abdominal cramps

- diarrhea

- nausea

- vomiting

- fever

- chills

- headache

- muscle aches

In severe cases, foodborne illness can lead to hospitalization or even death.

How to prevent foodborne illness:

To prevent foodborne illness, it is important to follow safe food handling practices. This includes:

- Refrigerating or freezing raw beef within 2 hours of cooking.

- If you are not planning on cooking your beef within the next day or two, store it in the freezer instead.

- Cooking ground beef to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit

- Cooking steaks to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit

- Never allowing cooked meats to sit out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

By following these tips, you can help yourself and your family stay safe from foodborne illness.