| VIOLATION | |
|
TEMPERATURE CONTROL 3a. Rapidly cool food to 41oF PUBLIC HEALTH SIGNIFICANCE Most food poisonings are associated with foods held at temperatures between 41oF and 135oF for extended periods of time. Health Department inspections stress temperature control of potentially hazardous food. Proper cooling means lowering the temperature of the food quickly enough to prevent bacterial growth. Taking too long to cool off cooked foods is a frequent cause of foodborne illness. During lengthy cooling, disease-causing bacteria may grow in potentially hazardous foods. Avoid letting food stay for long periods of time at growth-promoting temperatures for bacteria 70° F - 120° F. If the food isn't cooled from 135° F to 70° F in two hours or less, then from 70° F to 41° F in four hours or less, enough bacteria may grow to cause a foodborne illness. Restaurants are required to cool food within time frames based on how fast bacteria grow if food becomes recontaminated. By meeting these cooling time expectations, disease-causing bacteria won't grow to dangerous levels even if sanitation is less than ideal. |
|
Close Window