Recently I had the disadvantage of eating some food that was too long in the danger zone. As a former manager of a food service company I should have been aware of the hazard. As one of my jobs was to monitor and maintain food safety standards throughout the organizations and to perform food safety inspections.
So after all what is food poisoning and what does it have to do with Brazil. I live in Manaus although they have standards on the books so to speak rarely if ever are they enforced. Coming from the US we take for granted that food safety standards are enforced. The biggest problem I have seen in my 3 years here has been the lack of adherence to time and temperature standards. Foods are kept at room temperature for over 4 hours. This could lead to the rapid growth of bacteria at the end of 4 hours at room temperature there could be millions of live bacteria in your food. Bacteria is alive it eats sugars and proteins and excretes waste into the food (this is what causes food poisoning).
So why is it a big deal. Many Brazilians I know talk about getting the flu quite often here when in fact I believe the culprit is food poisoning to various degrees. The lack of adherence to food safety standards is the cause. Food poisoning CAN KILL YOU remember you are not in the US or any other 1st world country they have a very lax attitude about food safety when it comes to this. To many Brazilians it is OK to eat food that has sat out all day at room temperature (growing bacteria). But to me I find it disturbing that this area of public safety is ignored in Brazil.
Food Safety
John,
Didn't you read the food safety rules that I posted here ages ago on the thread FOOD AND DRINK IN BRAZIL - AVOIDING PROBLEMS. Gonna make you stand in the corner for five minutes for that, my friend. 
Cheers,
James
https://www.expat.com Experts Team
Yes I know James. I should have known better but sometimes you let your guard down and it bites you. Sorry I didn't see that post. But it is a very good one. You are right about the eggs they are never refrigerated here in the stores so yes quite often you get a rotten one. I will be more careful in the future don't want to be as sick as I was the last few days
I'm confused here....was this your own food at home or something that was served to you .
If this happened at home you really should know better 
I never take chances like this with food ....slightest doubt and I toss it immediately.
I have had not one problem in the last 7 months in Brazil travelling around a lot and eating in many different types of restaurants , most of them cheap.
However I am always aware of food been left out and the heat....food can spoil in minuetes in this heat and it I see meat or something in the sun at a Chuassco I immediately put it in a cool shady place.
I have had the runs once or twice before in Brazil though but never anything serious.
It was at a restaurant and it didn't taste off flavor but again It was only luke warm from a cafeteria line at a restaurant I sometimes frequent the temperature should have warned me not to eat it. Usually I get the beef right off the BBq grill but I din't this time and paid the price
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