Health Dept: This Central New York Habit is Bad For Your Health

Pizza is an enormous part of the diet for Central and Upstate New York residents, especially in the Utica-Rome area.

Whether we're talking about Pizza or Tomato Pie - it's definitely a part of our every day "go-to" when it comes to lunch, dinner and even breakfast.

Now, comes the habit that is potentially a hazard to your health. It seems that leaving Pizza or Tomato Pie out on the counter at room temperate for longer than two hours, could poison you. I understand there are plenty of people out there saying - this is ridiculous - but I'm telling you that according to the health department, two hours is the recommended shelf time. After two hours, the Pizza or Tomato Pie is supposed to go into the refrigerator.

Obviously, these health nuts have never been to a buffet. Or a shower. Or a birthday party. Or Christmas. Or my house on Sunday morning.

This topic became a thing when I ate Friday night pizza on Sunday morning. I became violently ill by Sunday afternoon and the general consensus was that I didn't have a virus, but instead I had food poisoning.

I don't know about you, but when we get a Tomato Pie, it sometimes sits on the counter for a day or two and every once in a while when you walk by, you grab a slice. When the pie gets dry, or God forbid, gets mold - it's time to throw it out. There's never a fear of food poisoning.

Years ago, when I worked in Little Falls there was a pizzeria called Carney's Corners and they had previously baked pizza slices wrapped in Saran Wrap sitting on the counter all night long. When I would go into the radio station at around 5AM, there was nothing better than that day-old pizza at room temperature. That was breakfast! And I never got sick.

Maybe we've become weak over the years. Or maybe, up until this past weekend, I was just lucky.