1. Instructor Notes
The job of protecting food continues even after it has been prepared and cooked properly, since microorganisms can still contaminate food before it is eaten.
The key to serving safe food is to prevent temperature abuse and cross- contamination.

2. When holding potentially hazardous food:
Check internal temperatures using a thermometer
Check temperatures at least every four hours
Discard it after a predetermined amount of time
Protect it from contaminants with covers/sneeze guards
Prepare it in small batches so it will be used faster
Instructor Notes
Check the temperature of food at least every four hours. Food that is not at 135F (57C) or higher or 41F (5C) or lower, must be discarded. As an alternative, check the temperature every two hours to leave time for corrective action.
Establish a policy ensuring that food being held for service will be discarded after a predetermined amount of time.
Covers help maintain food temperatures and keep out contaminants.
Do not prepare food any further in advance than necessary to minimize the potential for time-temperature abuse.
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3. When holding potentially hazardous hot food:
Hold it at an internal temperature of 135F (57C) or higher
Only use equipment that can maintain this temperature
Never use hot-holding equipment to reheat food
Stir it at regular intervals to distribute heat evenly
Instructor Notes
Food can be held at an even higher temperature of 140F (60C) as an additional safeguard.
Never use hot-holding equipment to reheat food if it is not designed to do so.
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4. When holding potentially hazardous cold food:
Hold it at an internal temperature of 41F (5C) or lower
Only use equipment that can maintain this temperature
Do not store food directly on ice
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5. Ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous food can be held without temperature control if:
It was held at the proper temperature before removing it from temperature control
It contains a label that specifies when it must be discarded
It is sold, served, or discarded within four hours
Instructor Notes
Prior to removing the food from temperature control, it must be held at 41F (5C) or lower, or at 135F (57C) or higher.
Before using time as a method of control, check with your regulatory agency for specific requirements in your area.
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6. Which of the following items meet the
requirements for holding food without
temperature control?
1. Potato salad is taken out of refrigeration at 10:00 A.M. and is labeled “Discard at 3:00 P.M.”
2. Properly cooked scrambled eggs are placed in a hot-holding unit at 9:00 A.M., held at 120F (49C), and discarded at 11:00 A.M. as the label indicated.
3. Sliced ham held at 50F (10C) the previous night, is held at room temperature for four hours and then is discarded as the label indicated.
Instructor Notes
Answers: Only the scrambled eggs meet the requirements.
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7. To minimize the risk of contamination when serving food, kitchen staff should:
Store serving utensils properly
Use serving utensils with long handles
Use clean and sanitized utensils for serving
Minimize bare-hand contact with food that is cooked or ready-to-eat
Practice good personal hygiene
Instructor Notes
Use tongs, deli sheets, or gloves to minimize bare-hand contact with food that is cooked or ready-to-eat.
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8. Handling Food, Glassware, Dishes, and Utensils
RIGHT
WRONG
Instructor Notes
Food-contact areas of plates, bowls, glasses, and cups should not be touched.
Dishes should be held by the bottom or the edge.
Cups should be held by their handles, and glassware should be held by the middle, bottom, or stem.
9-8

9. Handling Food, Glassware, Dishes, and Utensils continued
RIGHT
WRONG
RIGHT
WRONG
Instructor Notes
Glassware and dishes should not be stacked when serving. The rim or surface of one can be contaminated by the one above it.
Flatware and utensils should be held at the handle. They should also be stored so servers grasp handles, not food-contact surfaces.
Minimize bare-hand contact with food that is cooked or ready-to-eat by handling it with tongs, deli sheets, or gloves.
Use ice scoops or tongs to get ice. Servers should never scoop ice with their bare hands or use a glass, since it may chip or break.
RIGHT
WRONG
RIGHT
WRONG
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10. To keep food safe on food bars and buffets:
Install sneeze guards
Separate raw meat, fish, and poultry from cooked and ready-to-eat food
Hand out fresh plates to customers
Label all food items
Maintain proper temperatures
Practice FIFO
Instructor Notes
Employees trained in food safety should monitor food bars and buffets.
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11. When delivering food off-site:
Use containers capable of maintaining proper temperature
Check internal food temperatures regularly
Keep raw products separate from cooked and ready-to-eat food
Clean the inside of delivery vehicles regularly
Provide food safety guidelines for consumers
Instructor Notes
Use containers capable of maintaining food at 135F (57C) or higher, or at 41F (5C) or lower. Containers should be rigid and sectioned so that food does not mix, leak, or spill.
Raw meat and poultry should be separated from cooked and ready-to-eat food.
Food safety guidelines for consumers may include instructions for reheating and storing, as well as shelf-life dates.
Ensure that employees practice good personal hygiene.
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12. When catering:
Have potable water for cooking, warewashing, and cleaning
Have adequate power for cooking/holding equipment
Serve cold food in containers on ice
Use single-use items
Keep garbage away from food-preparation and serving areas
Instructor Notes
The guidelines listed above should be followed in addition to the guidelines discussed for delivery.
If leftovers are given to customers, provide instructions on how they should be handled.
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13. To protect food in vending machines:
Keep potentially hazardous food at 135F (57C) or higher or 41F (5C) or lower.
Dispense potentially hazardous food in its original container.
Check product shelf life, and discard food within seven days of preparation.
Sanitize food-contact surfaces when replenishing food.
Instructor Notes
Food prepared and packaged for vending has to be handled with the same care as any other food.
Product shelf life should be checked daily. All food with expired code dates must be discarded.
Food-contact surfaces must be sanitized each time food is replenished. Employees should wash their hands before and after refilling machines.
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