I would eat it, since there's no meat and I'm pretty picky about things being left out. But those ingredients sound ok to me. I might not serve it to anyone else though, if I was worried about it. Can you eat it or freeze it and make more for your company?

How much did the ingredients cost? $10? Pitch it.

My husband would eat it. I would err on the side of caution. I've had food poisoning so I'm extra cautious.

After out overnight, no, I wouldn't eat it. And most assuredly, I wouldn't feed it to others. I've had this happen and I followed my own advice. Good luck on making your decision.

Another thought, your system might handle it okay, but your guests may be more sensitive.

I would eat it for sure. I worry more about dairy products like mayo and sour cream based stuff. JMO

When in doubt, throw it out.

I couldn't comfortably serve that to guests. It might be OK, or might not be. I'd toss it, make it over.

Mayonaise is almost never the cause of food poisoning, it's the protein sources like the chicken or tuna or potatoes or pasta the mayo is mixed with.

If you do choose to serve it, please tell them first so they can decide.

I know if I got ill eating something someone else cooked and found out later they had left out overnight and not told me, I would be very upset.

Taking a risk with your own health is one thing, but your guests should have the choice of whether to take that risk or not.

I might eat this after simmering for a few minutes, as Alisande suggests. However, if I had any uncertainty at all, I would never risk serving it to guests, neither would I let them make the decision whether to eat it or not. I would just make a fresh batch for guests.

If you boil it long enough it will probably clean it up. But then it might not have an appealing consistency.

Pitch it, just not worth it. Also doesn't need meat for bacteria to grow. If the conditions are right and yours were, bacteria would have grown, enough to make you sick??? Only eating it will answer that question. I however would never take the risk expecially the risk for others. Who knows if for instance if healthy individuals that may fight off the bacteria in lesser amounts, but what if someone has an auto immune disease. Food borne illness is very ugly.

I had exactly the same thoughts as gyr falcon.

I love dinner parties but the food is always freshly prepared. I never eat anything at group picnics/potluck gatherings; the cavalier attitudes expressed by so many people in this thread is surprisingly common and is the reason why.

Food safety rules are clear and unambiguous, as are the reasons for same. Simple simmering, by the way, doesn't raise the food temperature high enough to kill bacteria and does nothing at all to toxins. Ignorance is bliss.

Edit to add:

Stay tuned for the after-lunch post that says - "I served the dish to everyone and no one got sick before they left".

Bacterial Reference TableBacteria ResponsibleDescriptionHabitatTypes of FoodsSymptomsCauseTemperture SensitivityStaphylococcus aureusProduces a heat-stable toxinNose and throat of 30 to 50 percent of healthy population; also skin and superficial wounds.Meat and seafood salads, sandwich spreads and high salt foods.Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea within 4 to 6 hours. No fever.Poor personal hygiene and subsequent temperature abuse.No growth below 40° F. Bacteria are destroyed by normal cooking but toxin is heat-stable.

SalmonellaProduces an intestinal infectionIntestinal tracts of animals and manHigh protein foods – meat, poultry, fish and eggs.Diarrhea nausea, chills, vomiting and fever within 12 to 24 hours.Contamination of ready-to-eat foods, insufficient cooking and recontamination of cooked foods.No growth below 40° F. Bacteria are destroyed by normal cooking.

Clostridium perfringensProduces a spore and prefers low oxygen atmosphere. Live cells must be ingested.Dust, soil and gastrointestinal tracts of animals and man.Meat and poultry dishes, sauces and gravies.Cramps and diarrhea within 12 to 24 hours. No vomiting or fever.Improper temperature control of hot foods, and recontamination.No growth below 40 degrees F. Bacteria are killed by normal cooking but a heat-stable spore can survive.

Clostridium botulinumProduces a spore and requires a low oxygen atmosphere. Produces a heat-sensitive toxin.Soils, plants, marine sediments and fish.Home-canned foods.Blurred vision, respiratory distress and possible DEATH.Improper methods of home-processing foods.Type E and Type B can grow at 38° F. Bacteria destroyed by cooking and the toxin is destroyed by boiling for 5 to 10 minutes. Heat-resistant spore can survive.

Vibrio parahaemolyticusRequires salt for growth.Fish and shellfishRaw and cooked seafood.Diarrhea, cramps, vomiting, headache and fever within 12 to 24 hours.Recontamination of cooked foods or eating raw seafood.No growth below 40° F. Bacteria killed by normal cooking.

Bacillus cereusProduces a spore and grows in normal oxygen atmosphere.Soil, dust and spices.Starchy food.Mild case of diarrhea and some nausea within 12 to 24 hours.Improper holding and storage temperatures after cooking.No growth below 40° F. Bacteria killed by normal cooking, but heat-resistant spore can survive.

Listeria monocytogenesSurvives adverse conditions for long time periods.Soil, vegetation and water. Can survive for long periods in soil and plant materials.Milk, soft cheeses, vegetables fertilized with manure.Mimics meningitis. Immuno-compromised individuals most susceptible.Contaminated raw products.Grows at refrigeration (38-40° F) temperatures. May survive minimum pasturization tempertures (161° F for 15 seconds.)

Campylobacter jejuniOxygen sensitive, does not grow below 86° F.Animal reservoirs and foods of animal origin.Meat, poulty, milk, and mushrooms.Diarrhea, abdomianl cramps and nausea.Improper pasteuriztion or cooking. Cross-contamination.Sensitive to drying or freezing. Survives in milk and water at 39° F for several weeks.

Versinia enterocoliticaNot frequent cause of human infection.Poultry, beef, swine. Isolated only in human pathogen.Milk, tofu, and pork.Diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting. Mimics appendicitis.Improper cooking. Cross-contamination.Grows at refrigeration temperatures (35-40° F) Sensitive to heat (122° F)

Enteropathogenic E. coliCan produce toxins that are heat stable and others that are heat-sensitive.Feces of infected humans.Meat and cheeses.Diarrhea, abdominal cramps, no fever.Inadequate cooking. Recontamination of cooked product.Organisms can be controlled by heating. Can grow at refrigeration temperatures.

The information given herein is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service is implied.

Educational programs of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, or national origin.

Publication Revised November 2008

And I agree with Mr. Fudd about the toxins. When bacteria produce spore and toxins, those spores and toxins can be heat resistant. Recooking the food will not necessarily make it safe to eat.

I have not died or even felt bad. But I agree with most of you, I cannot comfortably serve it to guests. It wasn't the money I was concerned about, it was the time. Darn it all, I finally got something done ahead of time and now this....but my dh insists I save it and he will eat it. That is HIS choice....

As was posted previously there may not have been enough time yet to tell if it made you sick.

Those who might get sick days later, may not associate it with this meal. I would be furious with my friend who knowingly served me the dish.

I'd eat it but meanwhile, please share the recipe - it sounds delicious.

Pitch it.

Tangental: Does freezing kill most harmful bacteria, toxins, whatsis? Only commercial freezing process, or my home side-by-side too? (Home freezer creates solid 'bricks' of meats, etc.)

I would have no problem eating it or sharing it. Now if it had been made with chicken or turkey I would toss it. Even beef would I think would be okay to eat but I wouldn't share that with guests. My kitchen is fairly cold.

I would definitely heat it up to a safe temp and eat it without hesitation, but since many here seem to think it might be problematic, I'd not serve it to guests. My mother was quite a stickler about getting food into the fridge, but I remember babysitting for a family who would make chicken and dumplings or roast a turkey and leave it on the stove top all night (with no burner on) and just reheat it the next day. I don't know why they didn't die from it. I couldn't eat anything in that house unless I knew it was freshly prepared.

Chisue - Freezing foods renders bacteria inactive but doesn't actually kill anything. That means if your food went into the freezer contaminated, once thawed it will still harbor the same harmful bacteria.

toss it, not worth the risk !!

Thanks, morz8. So...only HIGH temperatures -- for long enough -- will kill bacteria. (At some point, is all nourishment destroyed, too? We'd be *safe*, but starving?)

Most restaurants abide by whatever the health department determines is safe handling of foods. I was taught that you can only cross that 'threshold' twice. Something leftover can be refrigerated, thus crossing that danger zone one time. Reheating, gets you past that danger zone a second time.

If you refrigerate again, then you would pass the danger zone two more times as you prepare the food; and that is not safe.

Sorry, I would not serve it to anyone. Maybe not even myself.

Such a bummer. Sounds delicious.

I would never try it on myself or anyone else. I'd go to the market and start again.

Beans sour when left overnight.

ask yourself.........is it worth going to the hospital? Toss it!

I would not eat it and would NEVER serve it to others.

(Sweet potato chili??? I have never heard of it. The words 'sweet' and 'chili' don't go together, IMO.)

We had to throw out a big brisket because we both fell ill with some virus we got from the grands right after we had been handling/cooking it. It was intended for Thanksgiving dinner, such a waste but we didn't want to risk spreading germs. I am really fussy about food and always choose to get rid of food left out longer than a couple hours of cooling time. I hate it when I forget!!!

I'd definitely throw it out. It can take several days to get sick from food poisoning, so, just because you aren't sick yet doesn't mean the chili is safe. :( Hopefully, you won't get sick. Heating the food before serving won't break down heat stable toxins that are produced by some bacteria. It's just not worth the risk, in my opinion. I had food poisoning shortly after Christmas and it was really awful and lasted for several days. I almost ended up in the hospital.

Made a fresh pot tonight. For anyone wanting something vegetarian and delicious, here is the recipe. http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/sweet-potato---black-bean-chili

I doubt I would've tried it just looking at it, but my husband's co-worker made a pot of it and he loved it. Brought the recipe home and I've made it twice (well, now 3 times) in a week. Love it!

Julie....I agree with you 100%. I hadn't fully read your post and didn't realize you were making it for guests. I would eat it and have been in similar situations and have eaten something I left in the pot overnight, but I wouldn't serve it to guests even if I thought it okay.....and yes, it has nothing to do about money but about the labor....but as I said before, my house is on the cold side, particularly at night.

That recipe looks really interesting. Thanks for sharing. :) I'm definitely going to try it! I'm also going to share with a friend who's vegan. She's always interested in new recipes.

That looks really good, I have printed it off and will probably make it on Friday. I have to get some sweet potatoes. Thanks for posting the recipe link.

To be on the safe side, pitch it especially if you have time to make another batch.

However, it seems to me that its safety might relate to how close is this batch to REAL chili? Does it have enough hot pepper to be rated barely edible? If so, it might remain safe for a longer time than a mild version.

I would eat it if your house is cool.

FYI -- sweet potato and beans have simple starches and sugars. Here is something about cooked rice (simple starch) left un refrigerated.

Uncooked rice can contain spores of bacillus cereus and those spores survive cooking. When rice is cooled slowly (i.e. left on a counter to cool instead of being put into the refrigerator within 2 hours), the bacteria spores grow and produce a toxin that makes you sick. Reheating the rice won't kill those spores.Mar 7, 2014

How Long Can You Leave Cooked Rice Unrefrigerated - Mother ...

motherwouldknow.com › how-long-can-...

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Thanks for the recipe. Definitely going to try it!

Perfect solution. I would eat it myself, but I wouldn't really want to serve it to guests. So I would freeze it, use it later for yourself. Make a new batch for you and your guests. Nothing wasted and no worries about feeding it to someone else.

Made the new batch and the ladies loved it. btw - since I'm doing a cleanse, I gave them the cheese for on top, but I used avocado and it was DELISH! :)

doing a cleanse

That's a whole new can of worms

The beans killed it for me

I made the vegetable chili recipe tonight that Julie posted and it was really good. But of course, I made a change. The only change I made was to add some chopped yellow and red pepper and some sliced carrots and celery. Whenever I get the chance I always add extra vegetables to things. The spices and everything else was as the recipe called for. I dressed it with avocado, sour cream and grated cheese and loved it.

P.S. The leftovers are in the fridge. :)

I made the chili yesterday and LOVED it! Really flavorful. My leftovers are also in the fridge! ;)

So, for some reason I just now got notification that share_oh and blfenton replied to this post from January. I'm glad you both remembered to put your leftovers in the fridge. lol I have made this chili so many times! I too add other chopped vegetables, especially when I want to use something up. It really is yummy, and all healthy stuff goes into it. Mmmm....i'd make another pot this weekend, but it's 90+ degrees here in southeastern WI. Happy "autumn". :) Oh, and in case you don't read the whole thread....I DID NOT servE this to my guests....my dh and I ate it and never did get sick.....

That recipe sounds good and I love sweet potatoes. Thanks for posting it!