what is the temperature of the danger zone?
Danger Zone (40 Â°F - 140 Â°F) 1  Leaving food out too long at room temperature can cause bacteria (such as Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella Enteritidis, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Campylobacter) to grow to dangerous levels that can cause illness. Bacteria grow most rapidly in the range of temperatures between 40 Â°F and 140 Â°F, doubling in number in as little as 20 minutes.