Room temperature preparation of potentially hazardous foods like meats and dairy must not exceed two hours in the danger zone (4 Celsius/39 Fahrenheit to 60 Celsius/140 Fahrenheit) to prevent bacterial growth, with no reset of this limit. Work quickly, using only what’s needed within two hours, and monitor with a probe thermometer.

Cooking eliminates most pathogens at specific internal temperatures: whole beef/veal at 63 Celsius/145 Fahrenheit for 3 minutes, fish at 70 Celsius/158 Fahrenheit for 15 seconds, pork and ground beef at 71 Celsius/160 Fahrenheit for 15 seconds, chicken pieces at 74 Celsius/165 Fahrenheit for 15 seconds, and whole poultry at 82 Celsius/180 Fahrenheit for 15 seconds, ensuring cavity stuffing reaches 74 Celsius/165 Fahrenheit.

For hot holding, maintain 60 Celsius/140 Fahrenheit or hotter in buffet steam tables or chafing dishes, checking every two hours with a probe thermometer and logging results; avoid heat lamps due to inconsistent heating. Cooling requires hot leftovers to drop from 60 Celsius/140 Fahrenheit to 4 Celsius/39 Fahrenheit within 6 hours in small, shallow stainless steel containers, stirred frequently, not on the counter. Reheating for immediate consumption needs no specific temperature, but for hot holding, reach 74 Celsius/165 Fahrenheit within 2 hours using a stove or microwave, not slow cookers.

These time and temperature controls—preparation, cooking, hot holding, cooling, and reheating—are critical for food handlers to prevent foodborne illness and ensure consumer safety through safe food handling protocols.

Read more About the lesson (Optional)

Welcome to the tenth lesson in the Understanding Foodborne Illness module of the Safe Food Handler Certificate course! In this lesson, you’ll learn the critical time and temperature controls for preparing, cooking, hot holding, cooling, and reheating potentially hazardous foods to prevent foodborne illness. Let’s dive in!

Room Temperature Preparation

During the room temperature preparation stage, potentially hazardous foods (e.g., meats, dairy) must not stay in the danger zone (4°C/39°F to 60°C/140°F) for more than two hours, as this limit does not reset. To stay safe:

• Work quickly and take out only what you’ll use within two hours.
• Use a probe thermometer to monitor temperatures and ensure food stays out of the danger zone.

Cooking

Cooking destroys most pathogens when proper internal temperatures are reached, verified with a probe thermometer:

• Whole cuts of beef and veal: 63°C/145°F for 3 minutes.
• Fish: 70°C/158°F for 15 seconds.
• Pork: 71°C/160°F for 15 seconds.
• Ground beef: 71°C/160°F for 15 seconds.
• Chicken pieces (e.g., strips, wings, nuggets, burgers): 74°C/165°F for 15 seconds.
• Whole raw poultry (e.g., chicken, turkey, duck): 82°C/180°F for 15 seconds (ensuring cavity stuffing reaches at least 74°C/165°F, per health authority Posting a total of 24 revisions to this message will require moderator approval, and will not be publicly visible until approved. authorities).
• Other potentially hazardous foods (e.g., mixtures): 74°C/165°F for 15 seconds.

Hot Holding

After cooking, potentially hazardous foods can be hot held at 60°C/140°F or hotter to prevent bacterial spore growth. Use a probe thermometer every two hours to ensure compliance and record temperatures in a logbook. Suitable hot holding units include:

• Buffet steam tables, soup/stew urns, and chafing dishes with fuel.
• Heat lamps are not suitable for hot holding due to inconsistent heating.

Cooling

To cool hot leftovers for later use:

• Cool from 60°C/140°F to 4°C/39°F within 6 hours to stay out of the danger zone.
• Divide food into small, shallow (preferably stainless steel) containers and stir frequently.
• Do not cool on the counter, as this promotes bacterial growth.

Reheating

For reheating previously cooked and cooled potentially hazardous foods:

• If consumed immediately, no specific temperature is required.
• If hot held before serving, reheat to 74°C/165°F for 15 seconds within two hours.
• Use a stove or microwave, not slow cookers or hot holding units, which are too slow.

Key Temperature Summary

• Danger Zone: 4°C/39°F to 60°C/140°F.
• Refrigeration: 4°C/39°F or lower.
• Freezer: -18°C/0°F or lower.
• Hot Holding: 60°C/140°F or hotter.
• Reheating: 74°C/165°F within 2 hours (if hot held).
• Cooling: From 60°C/140°F to 4°C/39°F within 6 hours.

Why This Matters

Adhering to time and temperature controls during preparation, cooking, hot holding, cooling, and reheating prevents bacterial growth and toxin formation, reducing foodborne illness risks. Proper use of probe thermometers and record-keeping ensure safety and compliance. Check course resources for more guidance on safe food handling practices.

Key Takeaways:

• Limit room temperature preparation to two hours and use approved thawing methods to avoid the danger zone (4°C/39°F to 60°C/140°F).
• Cook potentially hazardous foods to specific internal temperatures (e.g., 71°C/160°F for ground beef, 82°C/180°F for whole poultry) using a probe thermometer.
• Hot hold at 60°C/140°F or hotter, cool within 6 hours, and reheat rapidly to 74°C/165°F to ensure food safety.