Once a pumpkin is carved, it becomes a potentially hazardous food.
Fall — the time of year when peopleput their best works of art onto their front porches in the form of pumpkins. It is very important to note, though, that once a pumpkin has been carved, it is considered a potentially hazardous or perishable food. If you are planning on making some of your own pumpkin puree, muffins or pie, purchase a few extra pie pumpkins for cooking and baking. Once pumpkins are carved and sit out at room temperature for more than two hours, they are in the time and temperature danger zone, which means the pumpkins can be dangerous if eaten.
So what is considered room temperature, and why does it cause a problem for food? Perishable food is not to remain in the temperature danger zone of 40 degrees to 140 degrees Fahrenheit for any longer than two hours. Once a pumpkin is carved, the inside is open and inviting to bacteria. This bacteria can double every 20 minutes if the temperatures are in that danger zone and could grow to levels high enough to cause a foodborne illness.
Cold evening temperatures dropping well below 40 degrees might make you think a pumpkin sitting on the porch during the night is safe. But it is important to consider the temperature during the day, when the jack-o'-lantern work of art sits in the sun. Consider that these festive carvings may have also been exposed to dust, critters and other natural parts of the outdoor environment.
Michigan State University Extension recommends following food safety guidelines and using only clean, fresh produce for consumption and preserving. Splurge on a few extra pie pumpkins for baking and cooking. The jack-o'-lantern pumpkin is also a different variety than the pie pumpkin and not truly designed for eating. These decorating pumpkins are stringy, coarse and not as “meaty” as other varieties. Pie pumpkins are thicker, meatier (making them difficult to carve) and offer more pulp for pureeing. Make sure as you prepare the puree, the pulp does not sit out for more than two hours, so it is notin that danger zone. Work quickly and with small amounts. If you are interested in drying seeds, they may be used from any pumpkin for roasting and enjoying as a wonderful healthy snack.
If you are considering canning your pumpkin products, remember that pumpkin puree and pumpkin butters are not to be canned, but they can be frozen. Only cubes of pumpkin may be canned in a pressure canner.
With just a few precautions, you can enjoy the tastes and smells of the fall season safely.For more information on keeping your fall dishes safe, visit MSU Extension'sSafe Food & Water website.
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FAQs
Once a pumpkin is carved, the inside is open and inviting to bacteria. This bacteria can double every 20 minutes if the temperatures are in that danger zone and could grow to levels high enough to cause a foodborne illness.
Are carving pumpkins okay to eat? ›
Can I eat carving pumpkins? You may have seen pumpkins in shops labelled 'carving pumpkins'. Don't let the sticker lead you astray, these pumpkins are perfectly edible. However carving pumpkins have been bred to be large, thin fleshed and robust.
Are white pumpkins not intended for consumption? ›
White fruited pumpkins are edible. White fruited varieties, such as 'Lumina,' have a white skin and orange flesh. They are chiefly grown for their unique “ghostly” appearance. However, the orange flesh is suitable for cooking.
Are decorative pumpkins edible? ›
You can absolutely cook pumpkin the way you would cook any other winter squash. The varieties that are bred primarily for decorative use and Jack-o-lanterns may not be quite as flavorful or might be a bit stringier than pumpkins bred specifically for pies and other culinary uses but they are all edible.
Is it safe to eat Halloween pumpkins? ›
While all pumpkins are edible, some are great as food, and some are better suited for other purposes. The jack-o'-lantern pumpkin is a great example.
Why should you not throw away pumpkins? ›
Pumpkins that end up in landfills have a hard time breaking down because landfills function to store material and don't have much oxygen to allow organics to decompose properly. When organic materials don't have enough oxygen to break down, they release methane gas, a greenhouse gas that is harmful to the environment.
What's the difference between eating pumpkins and carving pumpkins? ›
A pie pumpkin will often feel heavier for its size than a carving pumpkin will. You can eat either one of them, but the pie pumpkin is likely to taste a lot better and have better texture. The carving pumpkin will probably be tougher, stringier, less sweet and just generally less flavorful.
What is the point of carving pumpkins? ›
In Ireland, people started to carve demonic faces out of turnips to frighten away Jack's wandering soul. When Irish immigrants moved to the U.S., they began carving jack-o'-lanterns from pumpkins, as these were native to the region.
How long is pumpkin OK after carving? ›
"You have anywhere from three to five days max before they start to soften and get moldy," she says. That's because once the insides of the pumpkin are exposed to the elements, the rotting process begins.
Is pumpkin carving wasteful? ›
Is pumpkin carving wasteful? 40% of UK consumers buy pumpkins to carve for Halloween, but 60% report that they don't use the pumpkin to make any food such as pumpkin soup and instead just throw it into the general waste bin after they've finished carving.
Making Use of Pumpkins After Halloween
While they can be eaten, the mass-produced Halloween pumpkins found at grocery stores are bred to be decorations and do not have good flavor or texture.
What does a white pumpkin symbolize? ›
The White Pumpkin is a symbol recognized among the Pregnancy and Infant Loss community. But what does it mean? The white pumpkin is displayed in memory of a baby or babies 'gone to soon'. We display this little gourd, when we can't display another little hand carved pumpkin.
What type of pumpkins are not edible? ›
All pumpkins are edible. The small pie pumpkins have firm sweet flesh and make the best pie but the big ones you carve at halloween work as well.
Can you eat a pumpkin after it has been painted? ›
Before we show you how to re-use your pumpkins, please note one caveat to the no-trash rule: Painting, decorating, and sealing pumpkins may be fun and festive, these but pumpkins must go in the trash due to the toxic nature of the paint and decorations.
How to tell if a pumpkin is good to eat? ›
Pick a pumpkin with firm, hard skin all over. Bruised, soft skin my lead to rotting. Visual imperfections are usually fine so long as the skin is firm, as pumpkin skin is hard and protects the flesh. The stem should still be attached and feel firm and dry.
Why are my pumpkins flowering but no fruit? ›
As mentioned, weather may be why a pumpkin plant flowers but sets no fruit. Not only heat, but drought stress often causes the pumpkin to develop more male flowers and delay females. Flooded soil will also damage root systems, causing wilting and flower or fruit abortion.
How do I get my pumpkin to produce more fruit? ›
You can also increase the yield on a vine by removing all female flowers (these have a small swelling at the base of the bloom) for the first 3 weeks. These practices may produce a sturdier vine that can set more, albeit smaller, pumpkins during the growing season if you have good soil, sun, and moisture.
