How long does marinara/pasta sauce stay unopened outside of fridge?

TopHat · Feb 16, 2014

Like regular pasta/marinara sauce you get in a jar from Wal-Mart.

I've had a jar of marinara sauce opened in the cabinet for 5 days now. I know there's no preservatives, so is it safe to still eat?

MookyMcD · Feb 16, 2014

NO.

Tomatoes can carry salmonella, you also have garlic (botulism) oil (low oxygen environment ideal for botulism), plus whatever contaminants from the factory itself. And that's assuming it's a vegetarian sauce with no other complications.

Safe is a question of minutes, probably stopping after an hour. I wouldn't think of eating it after two hours. A day is out of the question. Multiple days, and I'd say there's a 50/50 chance or better that, by asking that question, you saved yourself a day or two locked in the bathroom.

alleycat · Feb 16, 2014

I'm surprised it hasn't started to mold by now.

TopHat · Feb 16, 2014

alleycat said:
I'm surprised it hasn't started to mold by now.

First off, Good god your post count is massive.

Second, when I mean opened I don't mean with the lid off. I mean with the seal broken. Sorry if that causes some confusion.

Thank you guys for your responses!

Maryn · Feb 16, 2014

Once the seal is broken, if it's not refrigerated within, say, an hour or two, it's not safe to eat. While the acidity of tomato will slow the growth of some molds, it won't stop them. Pour it down the drain and recycle the jar.

Maryn, earth friendly

kuwisdelu · Feb 16, 2014

On a related note, how long is it safe refrigerated? A week? Couple weeks? Couple days?

I'm currently going by "it's safe until I forget when I put it in there."

MookyMcD · Feb 16, 2014

If it was a veterinarian sauce I made myself, I'd probably trust it for five days or so. If it was a non-vegetarian sauce I made myself or an off-the-shelf sauce with or without meat, I wouldn't go more than three days in the fridge.

mrsmig · Feb 16, 2014

MookyMcD said:
If it was a veterinarian sauce I made myself, I'd probably trust it for five days or so.

I wouldn't trust ANY veterinarian sauce, myself.

eatbydate.com is useful for this sort of question.

kuwisdelu · Feb 16, 2014

I usually figure if I don't see anything fuzzy growing in it, I'm okay. :tongue

MaryMumsy · Feb 16, 2014

kuwisdelu said:
I usually figure if I don't see anything fuzzy growing in it, I'm okay.

That's my guideline for commercial salsa in a jar in the fridge. With sour cream I just scrape off any mold and continue on.

MM

MookyMcD · Feb 16, 2014

mrsmig said:
I wouldn't trust ANY veterinarian sauce, myself.

eatbydate.com is useful for this sort of question.

Wow. Typo of Freudian slip? :roll:

How long does marinara/pasta sauce stay unopened outside of fridge?

TopHat

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MookyMcD

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alleycat

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MookyMcD

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