How long can butter sit out unrefrigerated?

(WTVO) — Butter is one of the most commonly bought items in the grocery store, but how long can you keep it sitting out before it goes bad?

Butter, just like all dairy products, is perishable and will spoil if not refrigerated.

The USDA suggests leaving butter out at room temperature for no more than a day or two. However, if stored properly, butter can stay fresh for up to two weeks, according to experts.

The inventor of Butterie and President of Kitchen Concepts Unlimited Joelle Mertzel told NewsNation she feels Americans should know that it is an option to leave butter out.

“Our research has shown that 54% of Americans know that it can be kept out; 46% of Americans have no idea that it’s even an option,” Mertzel said.

Mertzel’s life was changed when she left her butter out overnight and realized how easily it could spread. She later wrote a children’s book called, “Change Your Life for the Butter,” detailing her discovery.

She said it is best to keep it out of the sun and covered.

“Room temperature, scientifically, is defined as 68 to 78 degrees, so you want to make sure that it’s not any hotter than 78 degrees in your kitchen,” Mertzel said.

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