The danger zone
This term refers to the temperature range between 41°F and 135°F where bacteria multiply rapidly.
Temperature Danger Zone
What is animal origin?
Any food coming from beef, chicken, or pork is considered a TCS food.
In Step 1 of two-stage cooling, hot TCS food must be cooled from 135°F down to 70°F within this maximum time frame.
2 hours
Previously cooked TCS food held for hot service must be reheated to an internal temperature of 165°F for at least this many seconds.
15 sec
What are the capital letters into this?
FAT TOM
Hot TCS food must be held at or above this minimum temperature to prevent bacterial growth.
135°F
Once sliced or chopped, these three plant products automatically become TCS foods.
cut melons, cut tomatoes, and cut leafy greens
Step 2 of two-stage cooling requires food to drop from 70°F to 41°F (or below) within this many additional hours.
4 hours
Reheating of TCS foods to 165°F must be accomplished rapidly, not exceeding this total amount of time.
2 hours
What does the M in FAT TOM stands for?
Moisture
Cold TCS food must be stored and held at or below this internal temperature.
41°F
Unprocessed, raw plant products of this type must be treated as TCS foods due to high moisture and nutrient levels on their surface.
raw seed sprouts
The maximum total continuous time allowed to complete both stages of cooling hot TCS food down to 41°F.
6 hours
When thawing under running drinking water, the water temperature must not exceed this level.
70 degrees F
The two T in FAT TOM represent these two critical factors used to manage safety in TCS foods.
Time and temperature
The maximum total time cold TCS food can be held without temperature control if its temperature never exceeds 70°F.
6 hours
Starchy cooked plant foods like these two common side dishes require time and temperature control.
cooked rice and cooked potatoes
This equipment uses high-velocity cold air to cool hot food through the danger zone extremely fast.
blast chiller
Food thawed in this appliance must be cooked immediately afterward as part of a continuous process.
microwave
The A in FAT TOM stands for Acidity, and bacteria grow best in foods that are neutral to slightly acidic within this pH range.
4.6 to 7.5
Bacteria can double in number in as little as this many minutes when in the danger zone.
20 minutes
Untreated mixtures containing garlic immersed in this ingredient are classified as TCS foods to prevent Clostridium botulinum growth.
oil
This simple container adjustment helps speed up heat transfer when placing hot liquids or casseroles into a refrigerator to cool.
shallow metal pans
Ready-to-eat TCS food prepared in-house can be stored under refrigeration at 41°F or lower for a maximum of this many days.
6-7 days
The M in FAT TOM stands for Moisture, which is measured by water activity. on a scale from 0.0 to 1.0; TCS foods typically have a water activity of this level or higher.
0.85