Health and Environmental Services Information Sheet 24

Food - Temperature Control

The Food Safety Standards specify that potentially hazardous foods must be stored, displayed and transported at safe temperatures. Safe temperatures are 5°C or colder, or 60°C or hotter.

Potentially hazardous foods need to be kept at these temperatures to prevent food poisoning bacteria, which may be present in the food, from multiplying to dangerous levels. These bacteria can grow at temperatures between 5°C and 60°C, which is known as the temperature danger zone. The fasted rate of growth is at around 37°C, the temperature of the human body.

The Food Safety Standards also require you to have a thermometer if you prepare, handle or sell potentially hazardous food. This will enable you to check that safe temperatures are being maintained.

What foods are potentially hazardous?

Foods normally considered to be potentially hazardous are:

Raw meats, cooked meats, food containing meat i.e. casseroles, curries, lasagna and meat pies.
Dairy products and foods containing dairy products such as milk, cream, custard, and dairy based desserts.
Seafood (excluding live seafood) and food containing seafood such as seafood salad.
Processed fruits and vegetables, such as prepared salads and ready to eat fruit packs.
Cooked rice and pasta.
Processed foods containing egg, beans, nuts or other protein-rich food, such as quiche, and Soya bean products.
Food that contain any of the above foods such as sandwiches, rice salads and pasta salads.

Cooling foods

If potentially hazardous foods have to be cooled, their temperature should be reduced as quickly as possible. The temperature should fall from 60°C to 21°C in less than 2 hours and be reduced to 5°C or colder in the next 4 hours. In order to achieve this, you should place the foods in shallow containers.

Keeping food hot

If you are keeping food hot on cook-tops, in ovens or in bain maries units, the equipment needs to be set high enough to ensure that the food remains hot (60°C or hotter).

To obtain further information or an Application Form to sell food within the Town of Bassendean please contact Health and Environmental Services on 9377 8000.

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