High-risk foods can be defined as ready-to-eat foods that easily support microbial growth and normally would be kept at specific temperatures to retard the growth of microbes. Although nuts are prone to mycotoxins and contamination by microorganisms (from external sources) and can be easily contaminated (there are many documented food safety outbreaks), on their own do not promote the growth of microorganisms. So, if you left nuts at room temperature for a few days and they are not contaminated by the external environment, it is unlikely microorganisms will simply start multiplying because the storage conditions are not controlled.
Hi,
Shelled nuts refer to having the shell of the nut removed, and therefore is a potentially high risk food?
Karin
Hi Karin,
High-risk foods can be defined as ready-to-eat foods that easily support microbial growth and normally would be kept at specific temperatures to retard the growth of microbes. Although nuts are prone to mycotoxins and contamination by microorganisms (from external sources) and can be easily contaminated (there are many documented food safety outbreaks), on their own do not promote the growth of microorganisms. So, if you left nuts at room temperature for a few days and they are not contaminated by the external environment, it is unlikely microorganisms will simply start multiplying because the storage conditions are not controlled.
Kind regards,
ASC Consultants