What can cause Seafood Gumbo to go bad shortly after it is cooked?

Answer 1

Improper temperatures... most bacteria grow between 45F to 140F which is known as the food danger zone.

In the food service industry, they try to keep hot foods above 140F or try to cool it as quickly as possible for refrigeration.

At home, after you make a pot and after people have eaten their fill, bring it back to a boil or simmer and let it simmer for 10 minutes.

For refrigeration, pour the remaining gumbo into a wide baking dish (and cover) so you have more surface area exposed to the cold air. Leaving food in the pot can be a problem since the edges will cool down, but the food in the center of the pot stays warm for a long time.

For big pots, what I've seen Alton brown do he has frozen water bottles in ziplocs which he drops them into the center of the pot to start cooling from the center too.

Also, the Gumbo is a low acid food which doesn't help. Acidity hampers bacterial growth that's why pickling is popular for long term storage.

Answer 2

Poor quality butter to make the roux. If you use margarine instead of high quality butter, the Gumbo will have a bitter taste.