Roper says it may be better to pick an alternative dish instead of something with eggs or mayonnaise in it. If you do take deviled eggs, or a similar dish, and you fear they may be out longer than two hours, put them on ice and keep an eye on the temperature. If you can be assured they re kept below 40 degrees, they ll be fine, Roper says. Food poisoning results in symptoms including nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Roper says a lot of people misdiagnose food poisoning as the flu, sometimes not realizing it is food poisoning that is plaguing them until others that ate with them get sick.
Food poisoning can even be deadly in extreme cases, most often with the elderly or the very young.
After a picnic, leftovers should be promptly covered and refrigerated. Roper says the best piece of advice when it comes to leftovers is, when in doubt, throw it out.