The following was stated: "Glyphosate breakdown via heat produces mostly aminomethylphosphonic acid, carbon monoxide/dioxide, amino acids, and water/vapor...similar to microbe breakdown, but a lot faster. ." H.Kuska comment. I am aware of the microbe breakdown products, but I am not aware of any references that state that the thermal breakdown is similar. The melting point of glyphosate is nearly 230 degrees C. That would be nearly 446 degrees F. This is the main thermal paper that I have been able to find so far. Unfortunately it does not identify the glyphosate decomposition products. Howver, it appears to me that very little glyphosate would actually decompose in normal hosehold use. The first observed decomposition product is: "By analyzing the infrared spectrum of the sample which is processed by rising temperature to 260 C at the heating rate of 6 C min-1, the most possible group loss in this stage may be methylene. Moreover, the mass loss in the first stage by TGA is in accordance with the mass loss of a group of methylene in the molecular of glyphosate." Then. "With the temperature increased, the second stage appeared the exothermic peak after a smaller main endothermic peak, and the lost mass had continued, which indicated that this stage might occur burning phase, thus exothermic phenomenon occurred. By analyzing the infrared spectrum of the sample which is processed by rising temperature to 360 C at the heating rate of 6 Cmin-1, the most possible group loss in this stage may be the group of carbonyl. Moreover, the mass loss in the second stage by TGA is in accordance with the mass loss of a carbonyl in the molecular of glyphosate." Now Canola Oil has a smoke point of around 238 degrees C, so I doubt that the glyphosate is breaking down very much in normal Canola Oil use. http://www.culinary-yours.com/frying_oil.html Of course, if you can document your answer, I am willing to look at the reference. Here is a link that might be useful: link to thermal study

some of my fav's still around include hamburgers at Redamaks in New Buffalo MI and yes I do drive to MI from Chicago just for their hamburgers LOL. We used to have a summer place in New Buffalo MI and that place is THE place to go for lunch & dinner. I still always visit Teibels in Schereville IN when in NW IN seeing friends, I always have the Walleye grilled. My DH makes us stop at Zel's for barbeque sandwiches & plain pulled pork in Hammond IN and Schoops for hamburgers - he won't drive to MI LOL. House of Pizza in Hammond IN when I'm in the mood for square cut, thin pizza. A few fav's long gone include Puntillo's Restaurant, growing up we used to eat fish (either lake perch or breaded cod) there every Friday, they closed up in the mid 80's :-( Ralphs Pizza we used to get pizza delivered on Sat nite or Sundays for Cubs or Bears games when I was little. There was also an awesome DQ around the corner from my house, we used to bug my dad to walk over there and get us a bag of dilly bars in the summer, when we were too little to go by ourselves LOL. Food was very different back then, I rarely find a place to go out to eat that is as good as the restaurants I grew up with :-( ~ liz

Was it red in the middle? If so, it might have some proliferation of bacteria. Heat it to above 140ð F internal temperature and it should be fine. It's probably fine anyway, but if you have any family members who don't have the strongest immune systems (children, old folks, pregnant women, people who are ill anyway, etc.), you might want to be very careful. If it was well done, it should be fine.

It is meant for a table and thats what you want/need so why not just put in a table? The space looks large enough that it wouldnt disrupt the flow in to your family room. A round table, even a glass top might give you the feeling that its still open. I think at the beginning it will feel like its blocking your family room because you have lived a few years with nothing there, but this is what the space was designed for and eventually, it wont feel like its blocking anything.