Download Facts: Temperature Control

Facts: Temperature Control
Temperature Control
Potentially hazardous food (such as meat, poultry, eggs, milk
or milk products and cooked rice) must be suitably controlled
in accordance with the Food Safety Standards to prevent the
rapid or progressive growth of harmful bacteria.
One way to prevent the growth of bacteria is by ensuring
temperature is controlled. The Food Safety Standards require
that temperature control be maintained for potentially
hazardous foods in the following areas:
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Food receipt
Food storage
Food processing
Food display and
Food transportation
The simple rule regarding correct temperature control of potentially hazardous food is:
Either keep food steaming hot, above 60ºC
Or keep food cold, below 5ºC
Or demonstrate that storing the food outside these temperatures will not adversely affect the microbiological safety of the food.
What Is Temperature Danger Zone?
The growth of harmful bacteria can be controlled by
temperature. The temperature range between 5ºC and 60ºC
is known as the temperature danger zone. Bacteria can
multiply rapidly if food is left in this “danger zone”.
100o C
Most food poisoning bacteria are killed,
however, will not always kill bacterial spores.
60o C
Temperature Danger Zone
Food poisoning bacteria rapidly multiply
in this temperature danger zone.
5o C
18
0o C
Temperature Control Means
Maintaining food at a temperature of:
a) 5ºC or below, this is necessary to minimise the growth of
infectious or toxigenic micro-organisms in the food so that
the microbiological safety of the food will not be adversely
affected for the time the food is at that temperature;
b) 60ºC, or above or;
c) Another temperature - if the food business demonstrates
that maintenance of the food at this temperature for the
period of time for which it will be so maintained, will not
adversely affect the microbiological safety of the food.
Food poisoning bacteria are. dormant
-18
0o C
It is a requirement that your business understands
temperature control and ensures that potentially hazardous
foods are kept out of the danger zone. Keeping food at the
correct temperature will not only help reduce the risk of
causing illness, but it will also reduce food spoilage and
maximise the shelf life of the food.
3.9
For more information on the best food handling practices and a safer
environment go to www.pittwater.nsw.gov.au or call 9970 1111
Healthy living and environment
Environmental Compliance / July 2008 / ECHRP08
refrigerator or display unit as there will be warmer and
cooler spots within the refrigerator or unit
Temperature Measuring Devices
The Food Safety Standards require that a food business
must, at food premises where potentially hazardous food is
handled, have a temperature measuring device that:
 Measure the temperature of packaged chilled food by
placing the length of the thermometer between two
packages - the temperature will be approximate but the
package remains intact
i) Is readily accessible, and;
ii) Can accurately measure the temperature of potentially
hazardous food to +/- 1ºC.
A temperature measuring device must be kept at the food
premises. The temperature measuring device must be able
to measure the temperature of the food - this means it
must have a probe.
Cleaning & sanitising a thermometer
As the probe will be inserted into food, the probe must be
correctly cleaned and sanitised before it is used and each
time it is used to measure the temperature of a different
food.
The probe of a thermometer can be cleaned and sanitised
by using the following steps:
1. Washing the probe with warm water and detergent
2. Sanitising the probe in an appropriate way for your
thermometer (alcoholic swabs are often used)
3. Rinsing the sanitiser away if necessary (refer to the
instructions on the sanitiser.); and
4. Allowing the probe to air dry or thoroughly drying it with
a disposable towel.
Using a thermometer to measure the
temperature of food
You may find the following tips useful, when using your
thermometer:
 Make sure that the thermometer is clean and dry
 Place the probe into the food and wait until the
temperature reading has stabilised before reading the
temperature
 Measure different parts of a food as the temperature
may not be the same, for example, if food is being
cooled in a refrigerator. The top of the food may be
cooler than the middle of the food
 Clean and sanitise the thermometer after measuring
the temperature of one food and before measuring the
temperature of another food
 If using the thermometer to measure hot and cold food,
wait for the thermometer to return to room temperature
between measurements
 Measure the temperature of different food in a
For more information on the best food handling practices and a safer
environment go to www.pittwater.nsw.gov.au or call 9970 1111
Healthy living and environment