The Flow of Food: Service
Guidelines for Holding Food:
When holding TCS food:
Hold it at the right temperature
o Hot food: 57 degrees Celsius or higher
o Cold food: 5 degrees Celsius or lower
Check temperatures at least every 4 hours
o Throw out food not at 5 degrees Celsius or lower
o Check temperatures every 2 hours to leave time for corrective action
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
Holding Food Without Temperature Control
Cold food can be held without temperature control for up to 6 hours if:
It was held at 5 degrees Celsius or lower before removing it from refrigeration
It does not exceed 21 degrees Celsius during service
It has a label specifying
o Time it was removed from refrigeration
o Time it must be thrown out
It is sold, served, or thrown out within 6 hours
Hot food can be held without temperature control for up to 4 hours if:
It was held at 57 degrees Celsius 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
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:
o Use separate utensils for each food
o Clean and sanitize utensils after each task
Store serving utensils correctly between uses
o On a clean and sanitized food contact surface
o In the food with the handle extended above the container rim
Reserving Food:
Never re-serve:
Food returned by one customer to another customer
Uncovered condiments
Uneaten bread
Plates garnishes
Self-services areas:
To keep food safe in self-service areas:
Install sneeze guards or food shields
Identify all food items
o Label all containers
o Place salad dressing names on ladle handles
Keep hot food at 57 degrees Celsius or higher
Keep cold food at 5 degrees Celsius 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
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 temperature
Label food with a use-by date and reheating and service instructions
Make sure the service site has the right utilities
o Safe water for cooking, dishwashing, and handwashing
o Garbage containers stored away from food-prep, storage, and serving areas
Store raw meat, seafood, and poultry separately from ready-to-eat items
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
Cleaning:
Process of removing food and other dirt from a surface
All surfaces must be cleaned and rinsed
Sanitizing:
Process of reducing pathogens on a surface to safe levels
Surfaces that touch food must be cleaned and sanitized
Steps for cleaning and sanitizing:
Clean the surface
Rinse the surface
Sanitize the surface
Allow the surface to air-dry
How and when to clean and sanitize food-contact surfaces must be cleaned and sanitized:
After they are used
Before working with a different type of food
Any time a task was interrupted and the items may have been contaminated
At 4 hour intervals if the items are in constant use