Safe Food Practices

Cold Holding

• Refrigerated food to 45°F or below (except potentially hazardous vacuum packaged foods to 38°F below)
• Frozen food to 10°F or below

Cooking Temperatures

Use a metal stem thermometer to check for the following minimum internal temperatures.

• 165 °F - Poultry, food containing poultry, stuffed meats, stuffing containing meats and casseroles.
• 155 °F - Ground, fabricated or restructured meats
• 150 °F - Pork and any food containing pork
• 140 °F - Eggs and all other potentially hazardous foods
• 130 °F - Rare roast beef and rare beef steak

Cooling

• When you cook ahead or have leftovers, divide large portions of food into small, shallow containers and put them in the refrigerator uncovered.
• Don't cover foods in the refrigerator until they have cool to 45 °F or below.
• Don't cool on the kitchen counter.

Reheating

Potentially hazardous food that has been cooked and then cooled must be rapidly reheated to 165 °F or more within 1 hour (before serving or hot holding). Re-cooked foods that have been prepared in USDA or FDA inspected plants shall be reheated to 140 °F or more within 1 hour.

Hot Holding

Potentially hazardous foods must be stored at temperatures of 140 °F or above during hot holding. (For example: meat, poultry, milk products, cooked eggs, seafood, gravies.)

Thawing

Foods must be thawed using one of the following methods:

• In refrigeration units at 45 °F or below.
• Under cool running water (less than 70 °F).
• In a microwave, as part of a continuous cooking process.

Sanitizing Solution

Add one capful (one teaspoon) of bleach to one gallon of water to make sanitizing solution. Store wiping cloths in sanitizing solution. Use this solution to wipe food contact surfaces such as counters or cutting boards.

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