Food Safety and Temperature
In principle, the most dangerous temperature zone for all food is 5°⎯63°C. In the cook-chill process; food passes through this danger zone several times:
- Chilling after cooking
- Reheating before service
It is important that the length of time that the food stays between 5°⎯63°C is minimized. The quality of the food will be greatly affected if bacterial growth takes place. Your establishment will have procedures in place for checking the quality of cook-chill foods. The signs of inferior quality may be:
- Food which has dried out
- Food which is burnt
- Sauces which contain lumps
- Food which has separated or broken down
- Food in poorly sealed or damaged containers
Your establishment should have guidelines in place to outline the quantity of food to be prepared. In general, the quantity of food will depend on the number of portions required/number of people being catered for and the work load in the near future. In any case it is important to keep in mind cook-chill food can be kept for up to five days under correct storage conditions.
Reference: Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Education and Training Authority (THETA), 2003