What should be done with potentially hazardous food (PHF) that has been in the temperature danger zone for longer than 4 hours?

When potentially hazardous food (PHF) has been in the temperature danger zone for longer than 4 hours, it must be discarded to prevent foodborne illness. The temperature danger zone typically ranges from 41°F to 135°F (5°C to 57°C), and when PHF is allowed to remain in this range for an extended period, harmful bacteria can grow to unsafe levels.

Discarding food that has been in the danger zone for too long is a critical practice in food safety. While some may consider reheating or checking for spoilage, these actions do not guarantee the food's safety. Bacteria can produce toxins that are not destroyed by cooking or reheating, and spoilage detection methods are not reliable indicators of safety in this scenario. Therefore, the safest and most responsible action is to throw away the potentially hazardous food that has been improperly stored.