Reheating Leftover Potentially Hazardous Food

CHAPTER 1, FOOD SAFETY

(1) Foods with commercially prepared chopped or ground meat

ingredients may be retained as leftovers;

(2) Potentially hazardous food retained as leftovers must have been

held at safe temperatures;

(3) Potentially hazardous food must not have been placed on the

serving line. They must have been held in the kitchen for "hot holding" at

140F or in "cold holding" at 41F or below.

(4) Hot items to be retained chilled, must be cooled within a 4-

hour period, in the following manner:

(a) From 140oF to 70oF within 2 hours; and

(b) From 70oF to 41oF, or below, within the total 4 hour

period.

1 Any food not meeting these temperature requirements at

the specified times will be discarded.

2 These food items must be maintained at 41F or below

until removed for service or heating for hot holding prior to service.

3 Rapid cooling methods are discussed in section 3-5.6.1.

Use Within 24 Hours" with the date and time of original preparation and the

discard date and time. Other methods for labeling may be used if approved

in writing by the PMA.

d. Potentially hazardous foods which have been cooked, chilled and

reheated for service shall not be saved as leftovers.

e. Leftover foods may be retained for 24 hours chilled (41 F or

below) or for 5 hours if maintained hot (140 F or above). The time

limit(s) for leftovers begins when the food is removed from hot holding.

No temperature logs are required but foods must not be in the "danger zone"

between 41 F and 140 F for more than four total hours from time of

preparation until discarded.

f. Freezing of leftovers is prohibited.

g. Reheating Leftover Potentially Hazardous Food. Potentially

hazardous food that has been cooked and then refrigerated and which is

reheated for hot holding must be reheated so that all parts of the food

reach 165F for a minimum of 15 seconds and then held at 140F or above

until served. The time for reheating to 165F will not exceed 2 hours.