food safety temperature
Hot and Cold Holding Temperatures
Keep TCS food hot or cold enough to prevent bacterial growth.
12 steps6 criticalLimit 5 minAlways tested
Steps
- 1Critical stepHold hot TCS food at 135 degrees F (57 degrees C) or above
- 2Critical stepHold cold TCS food at 41 degrees F (5 degrees C) or below
- 3Keep raw shell eggs that have not been treated to destroy Salmonella in refrigerated equipment with an air temperature of 45 degrees F (7 degrees C) or less
- 4Check food temperatures with a food thermometer at the interval your facility sets; one state recommends every 2 hours
- 5Keep hot food covered and stir it regularly so the heat spreads evenly
- 6Critical stepDo not use hot-holding equipment to reheat food, and do not mix fresh food with food being held
- 7Reheat TCS food that was cooked, cooled and reheated for hot holding to at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C) for 15 seconds, taking no more than 2 hours between 41 degrees F and 165 degrees F
- 8Local guidance (Fairfax County): if cold food is above 41 degrees F, chill it quickly with a cooling method or throw it away
- 9Local guidance (Fairfax County, Oregon): if hot food is below 135 degrees F, reheat it or throw it away; throw away hot food that has been below 135 degrees F for more than 4 hours
- 10Critical stepTo use time instead of temperature as the control (the 4-hour option), have written procedures prepared in advance and start the food at 41 degrees F or below (cold) or 135 degrees F or above (hot)
- 11Critical stepMark the food with the time that is 4 hours past removal from temperature control, and cook and serve it, serve it if ready-to-eat, or discard it within those 4 hours
- 12Discard food in unmarked containers or marked beyond the 4-hour limit
What graders are watching for
Tips
- Hot-holding equipment keeps hot food hot; it is not for reheating. Heat food to 165 degrees F first, then move it in
- Keep hot food covered and stir it at regular intervals to spread heat evenly
- When holding practices are questionable, resolve the issue in favor of food safety: it is better to discard TCS food than risk customers' health and safety
Common mistakes
- Using hot-holding equipment to reheat food instead of heating to 165 F first.
- Treating the cooler or warmer display as proof; measure the food.
- Using the 4-hour time limit without written procedures or without marking when time runs out.
- Starting the time clock with food that is already outside 41 F (cold) or 135 F (hot).
Practice this skill
Practise the sequence in the app with critical-step highlighting and a rationale for each step.
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Sources and how we check them: How we verify.