Safe Holding Temperatures for Cooked Food

MANUAL OF NAVAL PREVENTIVE MEDICINE

immediate service, will be cooked to a minimum internal product temperature

of at least 145F for at least 15 seconds or until the white is firm, not

running, and the yolk is set.

(4) Scrambled eggs, in bulk amounts, may be prepared using

pasteurized frozen table eggs, pasteurized dehydrated egg mix, or fresh

shell eggs. If fresh shell eggs are used, the following provisions are

required.

(a) Cook bulk amounts of scrambled eggs in small batches of no

more than 3 quarts. Cook to heat all parts of the food to a minimal

internal temperature of 155F (63C) for at least 15 seconds and until

there is no visible liquid egg.

(b) Hold until served at 140F or higher, such as on a hot food

table;

batch held on a hot food table. A clean sanitized container is required

for each 3 quarts of scrambled eggs.

3-5.3 Safe Holding Temperatures for Cooked Food

a. General. Potentially hazardous foods which are not served

immediately after cooking must be either rapidly chilled to temperatures of

41F or lower, or held at 140F or higher. Growth of harmful bacteria and

the development of toxins (poisons) formed by bacteria occur rapidly in

protein foods when held at temperatures between 41F and 140F.

Potentially hazardous foods which have been held at temperatures between

41F and 140F longer than 4 hours are considered unsafe for consumption

and must be destroyed. If the product is refrigerated at intervals and

then permitted to warm, the total time of the various periods between 41F

and 140F must not exceed 4 hours.

b. Potentially hazardous ingredients for foods that are in a form to

be consumed without further cooking such as salads, sandwiches, filled

pastry products and reconstituted foods must have been chilled to 41F or

below prior to preparation.

3-5.4 Reconstituting or Fortifying Food

a. The ingredients and the container must be prechilled to

41F or below before reconstituting or fortifying a potentially hazardous

food with the addition of a dry ingredient such as dry

milk or milk product, a dessert mix or similar product if the container is

larger than 1 gallon.

b. A potentially hazardous food which has been reconstituted or