1. Chapter 8 The Flow of Food: Service
Instructor Notes
Food that is being held for service is at risk for time-temperature abuse and cross-contamination. If your operation holds food, you must make policies that reduce these risks. Focus on time and temperature control, but don’t forget about protecting the food from contamination. In some cases, you might even be able to hold food without controlling its temperature.

2. Guidelines for Holding Food
When holding TCS food:
Hold it at the right temperature
Hot food: 135°(57°C) or higher
Cold food: 41°F(5°C) or lower
Check temperatures at least every 4 hours
Throw out food not at 41°F (5°C) or lower
Check temperatures every 2 hours to leave time for corrective action
Instructor Notes
The temperature gauge on a holding unit may not provide an accurate indication of a food item’s internal temperature. Therefore, it is critical to use a thermometer to check the internal temperature of the food.
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3. Guidelines for Holding Food
When holding TCS food: continued
Never use hot-holding equipment to reheat food unless it’s designed for it
Reheat food correctly, and then move it into a holding unit
Throw it out after a predetermined amount of time
Protect it from contaminants with covers/sneeze guards
Instructor Notes
Never use hot-holding equipment to reheat food unless it is built to do so. Most hot-holding equipment does not pass food through the temperature danger zone quickly enough. Reheat food correctly. Then move it to the holding unit.
Create policies about how long the operation will hold food. Also, create policies about when to throw away held food. For example, your policy may let you refill a pan of veal in a buffet all day, as long as you throw it out at the end of the day.
Covers help maintain the internal temperature of the food and keep contaminants out.
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4. Holding Food Without Temperature Control
Cold food can be held without temperature control for up to 6 hours if:
It was held at 41°F (5°C) or lower before removing it from refrigeration
It does not exceed 70°F (21°C) during service
It has a label specifying:
Time it was removed from refrigeration
Time it must be thrown out
It is sold, served, or thrown out within 6 hours
Instructor Notes
If your operation displays or holds TCS food without temperature control, it must do so under certain conditions. The conditions for holding cold food are different from those for holding hot food. Before using time as a method of control, check with your local regulatory authority for specific requirements.
For cold food, label the food with the time you removed it from refrigeration and the time you must throw it out. The discard time on the label must be six hours from the time you removed the food from refrigeration.
For example, if you remove potato salad from refrigeration at 3:00 p.m. to serve at a picnic, the discard time on the label should be 9:00 p.m. This equals six hours from the time you removed it from refrigeration.
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5. Holding Food Without Temperature Control
Hot food can be held without temperature control for up to 4 hours if:
It was held at 135°F (57°C) or higher before removing it from temperature control
It has a label specifying when the item must be thrown out
It is sold, served, or thrown out within 4 hours
Instructor Notes
Before using time as a method of control, check with your local regulatory authority for specific requirements.
For hot food, the discard time on the label must be four hours from the time you removed the food from temperature control.
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6. Kitchen Staff Guidelines for Serving Food
To prevent contamination when serving food:
Handle ready-to-eat food with tongs, deli sheets, or gloves
Use clean and sanitized utensils for serving
Use separate utensils for each food
Clean and sanitize utensils after each task
Instructor Notes
Some regulatory authorities allow bare-hand contact if the operation has received prior approval. The operation must outline policies for employee health and train employees in handwashing and personal hygiene. Check your local regulatory requirements.
If using utensils continuously, clean and sanitize them at least once every four hours.
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7. Kitchen Staff Guidelines for Serving Food
To prevent contamination when serving food: continued
Store serving utensils correctly between uses
On a clean and sanitized food-contact surface
In the food with the handle extended above the container rim
Instructor Notes
Spoons or scoops used to serve food such as ice cream or mashed potatoes can be stored under running water that is 135˚F (57˚C).
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8. Service Staff Guidelines for Serving Food
Handling Dishes and Glassware
RIGHT WRONG
Instructor Notes
Carry glasses in a rack or on a tray to avoid touching the food-contact surfaces. Stacking china and glassware can cause them to chip and break. Do not stack glasses when carrying them.
Hold dishes by the bottom or edge. Hold glasses by the middle, bottom, or stem. Do not touch the food-contact areas of dishes or glassware.
RIGHT WRONG
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9. Service Staff Guidelines for Serving Food
Handling Utensils and Food
Handling Utensils and Food
RIGHT WRONG
Instructor Notes
Hold flatware by the handle. Store flatware so servers grasp handles, not food-contact surfaces. Do not hold flatware by food-contact surfaces.
Minimize bare-hand contact with food that is ready to eat.
RIGHT WRONG
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10. Service Staff Guidelines for Serving Food
Handling Utensils and Food
Handling Utensils and Food
RIGHT WRONG
Instructor Notes
Use ice scoops or tongs to get ice. Never scoop ice with your bare hands or a glass. A glass may chip or break.
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11. Re-serving Food Never re-serve:
Food returned by one customer to another customer
Uncovered condiments
Uneaten bread
Plate garnishes
Instructor Notes
Do not combine leftover condiments with fresh ones. Throw away opened portions or dishes of condiments after serving them to customers. Salsa, butter, mayonnaise, and ketchup are examples.
Change linens used in bread baskets after each customer.
In general, only unopened prepackaged food can be re-served. That includes condiment packets, wrapped crackers or breadsticks, and bottles of ketchup and mustard.
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12. Self-Service Areas To keep food safe in self-service areas:
Install sneeze guards or food shields
Must be located 14” (36cm) above the counter
Must extend 7” (18cm) beyond the food
Identify all food items
Label all containers
Place salad dressing names on ladle handles
Instructor Notes
Self-service areas can be easily contaminated. To prevent contamination, these areas should be monitored closely by employees trained in food safety.
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13. Self-Service Areas To keep food safe in self-service areas: continued
Keep hot food at 135°F (57°C) or higher
Keep cold food at 41°F (5°C) or lower
Keep raw meat, fish, and poultry separate from ready-to-eat food in self-service areas
Do not let customers refill dirty plates or use dirty utensils at self-service areas
Do not use ice as an ingredient if it was used to keep food or beverages cold
Instructor Notes
Assign a staff member to hand out clean plates for return visits. Post signs with polite tips about self-service etiquette.
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14. Off-Site Service When delivering food off-site:
Use insulated, food-grade containers that can maintain the right temperatures
Clean the inside of delivery vehicles regularly
Check internal food temperatures
Label food with a use-by date and reheating and service instructions
Instructor Notes
The longer the delay from preparation to the point of service, the greater the risk that food will be exposed to contamination or time-temperature abuse. To transport food safely, follow the procedures on the slide.
Food containers should be designed so food cannot mix, leak, or spill.
Check internal food temperatures. If containers or delivery vehicles are not holding food at the right temperature, reevaluate the length of the delivery route or the efficiency of the equipment being used.
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15. Off-Site Service When delivering food off-site: continued
Make sure the service site has the right utilities
Safe water for cooking, dishwashing, and handwashing
Garbage containers stored away from food-prep, storage, and serving areas
Store raw meat, seafood, and poultry separately from ready-to-eat items
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16. Vending Machines To keep vended food safe:
Check product shelf life daily
Keep TCS food at the right temperature
Dispense TCS food in its original container
Wash and wrap fresh fruit with edible peels before putting it in the machine
Instructor Notes
Handle food prepped and packaged for vending machines with the same care as any other food served to customers. Vending operators should protect food from contamination and time-temperature abuse during transport, delivery, and service.
Check product shelf life daily. Products often have a code date, such as an expiration or a use-by date. If the date has expired, throw out the food immediately. Throw out refrigerated food prepped on-site if not sold within seven days of preparation.
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