Unveiling the Danger Zone in Food Safety: What You Need to Know

Explaining the Concept of the Danger Zone in Food Safety

The temperature range between 5°C and 60°C is known as the Temperature Danger Zone. This is because in this zone food poisoning bacteria can grow to unsafe levels that can make you sick.

Two-Hour/Four-Hour Rule

Use the two-hour/four-hour guide below to work out what action you should take to avoid food poisoning if potentially hazardous food is held at temperatures in the danger zone.

Food held between 5°C and 60°C for less than 2 hours can be used, sold or put back in the refrigerator to use later. Food held between 5°C and 60°C for 2-4 hours can still be used or sold, but can't be put back in the fridge. Food held between 5°C and 60°C for 4 hours or more must be thrown away.

Keeping Cold Food Cold

Keep your fridge below 5°C. At these temperatures, most food poisoning bacteria stop growing or grow slowly. Use a fridge thermometer to check that the temperature stays around 4 to 5°C. Also, make sure you have enough fridge space as fridges won’t work properly when they are overloaded or when food is packed tightly because the cold air cannot circulate.

If you are running out of room in your fridge, remove foods that are not potentially hazardous, such as jams, pickles, vinegar-based dressings, and bottled or canned drinks. The temperature of these foods is not critical for safety and they can be kept cool in insulated containers with ice or cold packs.

Freshly cooked food, not for immediate consumption, should be cooled to below the danger zone as quickly as possible. Divide food into small shallow containers and place it in the fridge or freezer as soon as it stops steaming.

Keeping Hot Food Hot

Hot food needs to be kept and served at 60°C or hotter. If you are keeping it warm for someone put it in the oven at 60°C or at 100°C if that is as low as your oven will go.

Follow these 7 simple tips to keep your food out of the temperature danger zone

  1. Plan ahead. Don’t over-cater as the greater the quantity of food you prepare the harder it is to keep it hot or cool enough until it is served. If you are catering for a lot of people prepare food as closely as you can to the time you will serve it.
  2. Keep your fridge at or below 5°C. Use a fridge thermometer to check that the fridge temperature stays around 4 to 5°C. Also, ensure you have enough room in the fridge because if the food is packed tightly the cold air cannot circulate.
  3. Check the storage instructions. Read the label on packaged food to see if it needs to be stored in the fridge or freezer, many unrefrigerated items may need to be refrigerated once opened.
  4. Keep hot food at or above 60°C. Hot food needs to be kept and served at 60°C or hotter. If you are keeping it warm for someone put it in the oven at 60°C (or at 100°C if that is as low as your oven will go).
  5. Divide food up to cool quickly. Freshly cooked food, not for immediate consumption, should reduce the temperature as soon as possible. Divide the food into containers in small portions and put it into the fridge or freezer as soon as it stops steaming. You can cool food faster if you place the pot in a sink of cold water and stir it, replacing the water from time to time.
  6. Keep food on the move cool. If you are transporting perishable food around such as refrigerated or frozen shopping, your (or your child’s) lunch or goodies for a BBQ or a picnic always use a cooler bag and add a frozen block or drink to keep things cool.
  7. If in doubt throw it out. If perishable food has been in the temperature danger zone for 2 to 4 hours consume it immediately. After 4 hours throw it out.

https://cft.edu.au/food-safety/

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