Beans are a protein and carbohydrate dream buffet for microbes. Clostridium perfringens loves beans so much it’s practically the official bacteria of potluck food poisoning. These little guys grow so fast in unrefrigerated beans that after four hours, a single bacterium can become 16 million party guests. And they don’t clean up after themselves.
Also, shocking truth: refried beans are worse. Because they’re mashed, they have more surface area for bacteria to colonize. You basically pureed your beans into a bacterial mattress. Treat refried beans like a ticking clock—refrigerate within two hours or wave goodbye.
