What is the maximum time food can safely be left out at room temperature?

The correct answer reflects important health safety guidelines regarding food handling. Food can be left out at room temperature for a maximum of 2 hours to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. This time guideline is based on the understanding that bacteria can rapidly multiply in the temperature range known as the "danger zone," which is between 41°F and 135°F (5°C to 57°C).

When the temperature rises above 90°F (32°C), the safe duration decreases to only 1 hour due to the increased likelihood of bacterial growth in warmer conditions. Therefore, combining these two timeframes into a single answer promotes understanding of safe food handling practices. It reinforces the critical point that both time limits (2 hours at normal room temperature and reduced to 1 hour in high temperatures) are necessary to minimize the risk of foodborne illness.