| Maintaining proper food temperature should be a | | | | danger zone between 41 degrees and 145 |
| constant process in your restaurant or | | | | degrees Fahrenheit. |
| commercial kitchen, from the time it arrives | | | | For heated foods, post a safe temperature chart |
| through your back door to the time it arrives on | | | | for cooked foods and train your employees to |
| the customer's plate. | | | | properly use a thermometer to check food |
| When the delivery truck arrives, immediately | | | | temps during heating. |
| check food products for temperature. Reject | | | | Safe Chilling and Heating Instructions |
| food that arrives above 41 degrees Fahrenheit. | | | | Keeping out of the 41 degrees to 145 degrees |
| Once you have ensured that the food has arrived | | | | danger zone should be the top priority for all |
| in good condition, store it immediately. | | | | foods and ingredients. The one exception to the |
| Use a good thermometer. Make good | | | | danger zone rule is freshly cooked food, which |
| thermometers available to your staff to help with | | | | can be held at 140 degrees before serving, |
| the temperature monitoring process. Make sure | | | | although you should establish a deadline for hot |
| you and your staff are trained in proper | | | | held food after which you should either rapidly chill |
| thermometer use: | | | | and store the product or dispose of it. |
| Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of | | | | If you are chilling food that was heated, chilling it |
| what you want to measure, and make sure the | | | | rapidly is the best way to prevent bacterial |
| tip is in about the center. | | | | growth. Use a blast chiller or a cold paddle to bring |
| Wait about five minutes for a proper reading. | | | | food temperature down quickly. |
| Newer digital thermometers will beep when they | | | | This also retains maximum food freshness. After |
| have reached the absolute temperature. | | | | food has been rapidly cooled, store it in a |
| Sanitize the thermometer before and after each | | | | commercial refrigerator or freezer. Use storage |
| use. | | | | containers to maintain freshness. |
| Constantly monitor food temperatures. Develop | | | | If you are serving cold foods, use a chill pan with |
| and post a temperature monitoring schedule for all | | | | built-in refrigerant and ice to ensure food maintains |
| the different food types you are currently storing | | | | the correct temperature. Monitor temperature to |
| and prepping. | | | | make sure food items are not rising above 40 |
| Train other employees to help you maintain this | | | | degrees Fahrenheit. |
| schedule. Stay out of the food temperature | | | | |