REHEATING POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS FOOD

When previously cooked, potentially hazardous food is reheated for hot-holding, take it through the temperature danger zone again as quickly as possible. Food must be reheated to an internal temperature of 165F (74C) for fifteen seconds, within two hours. When adding previously cooked food as an ingredient to another food, such as adding ground beef to spaghetti sauce, the whole mixture must be reheated to 165F (74C) for fifteen seconds.

When using the microwave oven to reheat previously cooked food, follow the same rules used for microwave cooking. Cover the product. Rotate or stir it midway through cooking. Allow it to stand for two minutes. Check its internal temperature in several places to see if it has reached at least 165F (74C).

Food that is reheated for immediate service to a customer, such as roast beef sandwich, may be served at any temperature as long as the food was cooked properly.

If food has not reached 165F (74C) for fifteen seconds within two hours, it must be discarded.

SUMMARY

To protect food during preparation, you must handle it safely. The keys are time and temperature control and the prevention of cross-contamination.

All potentially hazardous food should be kept out of the temperature danger zone as much as possible. The longer food is exposed to these temperatures, the greater the risk that microorganisms will grow.

Thaw frozen food in the refrigerator or under cool running water, never at room temperature. Have employees prepare food in small batches, use chilled utensils and bowls, and record product temperatures and preparation times.

To prevent contamination, prepare raw food separately from cooked or ready-to-eat food. Assign specific equipment to each type of food. Always clean and sanitize equipment, utensils, and containers before and after each use. Wash your hands and consider using gloves when handling food products, especially ready-to-eat food that will not be cooked.

Cooking can reduce the number of microorganisms in food to safe levels. To ensure that microorganisms are destroyed, food must be cooked to required minimum internal temperatures for a specific amount of time. These temperatures vary from product to product. Cooking doesn’t kill the spores or toxins some microorganisms produce. That is why it is important to inspect product once it arrives and handle it safely during preparation.

Once food is cooked, it should be served as quickly as possible. If it is going to be stored and served later, it must be cooled rapidly. Cooked food must be cooled from 140F (60C) to 70F (21C) within two hours and from 70F (21C) to 41F (5C) or lower in an additional four hours (for a total cooling time) of six hours unless otherwise required by your local health code. Placing large containers of hot food in the refrigerator can put all other stored food in danger. Ways to cool large quantities of cooked food quickly include dividing it into smaller portions, putting it in shallow stainless steel pans, using an ice-water bath or blast chiller, and stirring it often. When the food is cold enough, store it properly in the refrigerator.

Previously cooked, potentially hazardous food that is to be held hot, must be reheated to an internal temperature of 165F (74C) for fifteen seconds within two hours before it can be served.

A CASE IN POINT

On Friday, John went to work at Fish House knowing he had a lot to do. After changing clothes and punching in, he took a case of frozen raw shrimp out of the freezer. To thaw it quickly, he put the boxes of frozen shrimp into the prep sink and turned on the hot water. While waiting for the shrimp to thaw, John took several fresh whole fish out of the walk-in refrigerator. He brought them back to the prep area and began to clean and fillet them. When he finished, he put the fillets in a pan and returned them to the walk-in refrigerator. He rinsed off the boning knife and cutting board in the sink, and wiped off the worktable with a dish towel.

Next, John transferred the shrimp from the sink to the worktable using a large colander. On the cutting board he peeled, deveined, and butterflied the shrimp using boning knife. He put the prepared shrimp in a covered container in the refrigerator, then started preparing fresh produce.

What did John do wrong?

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