How long can fish be left out?

Question

I was defrosting fish and forgot about it. It has been left out for a long time. How long can fish actually be left out before it goes bad?

Answer

A quote from the below link;

"Do not thaw frozen seafood at room temperature. Thaw in the refrigerator or defrost in the microwave oven. If thawing in the refrigerator, allow one to two hours per pound of seafood".

http://www.uaex.edu/Other_Areas/publications/PDF/fsfcs100.pdf

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Another quote from the link below;

"... If food is allowed to remain at room temperature for two hours or longer, bacteria can multiply and cause food poisoning. - Even a tiny amount of contaminated food can cause severe illness. If you have any doubt about the safety of the food, throw it out!"

http://www.calpoison.com/public/food.html

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