How Long Can You Leave Soup Out?

Left over soup should be stored in a refrigerator.

Food Safety Recommendation

Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education is very specific in the recommendation that leftover soup, which has been left out on the stove, should be discarded after one hour in summer and after two hours in winter, to avoid bacteria multiplying and causing food poisoning.

General Consensus

General consensus is that it is unsafe to eat all leftover food which has been left out of the refrigerator due to the risk of food being contaminated with fast growing bacteria. The general rule, according to USDA, the Food Safety and Inspection Service and other food safety sources, is that soup and other leftover foods should be consumed within two hours.

Bottom Line

Refrigerate soup as soon as it has cooled to avoid food poisoning and soup being wasted. Or eat soup within one hour of it being left on the stove, to abide by food safety recommendations. If you eat it within two hours, you should not suffer any ill effects, provided you reheat the soup quickly to a hot temperature.

References

• Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education: Ask Mrs Cookwell
• USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service: Help:Common Questions
• Kitchen Savvy: How Long Can Food Be Left Out