Food Safety - Proper Cooking & Reheating Temperatures | SCDHEC (2024)

FAQs

Food Safety - Proper Cooking & Reheating Temperatures | SCDHEC? ›

*All parts of the food must reach a temperature of at least 165°F for 15 seconds. Reheating must be done rapidly, within 2 hours after being removed from refrigeration. Foods reheated in a microwave oven must be reheated so that all parts of the food reach a temperature of at least 165°F.

On stove top: Place food in pan and heat thoroughly. The food should reach at least 165 °F on a food thermometer when safely reheated. In oven: Place food in oven set no lower than 325 °F. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the food reaches 165°F.

The food is safe if it has reached a high enough temperature for a long enough time. Examples of safe time/temperature combinations include: 80°C for at least 6 seconds, 75°C for at least 30 seconds, 70°C for at least 2 minutes. Reheating means cooking again, not just warming up.

Note: There are three important temperatures to remember when cooking meat or eggs at home: Eggs and all ground meats must be cooked to 160°F; poultry and fowl to 165°F; and fresh meat steaks, chops and roasts to 145°F.

The proper way to reheat food? Food that will be hot-held must be reheated to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) for 15 seconds within two hours. If the food has not reach that temperature withint two hours you should discard it. Never use hot-holding equipment to reheat food.

Hot roast beef slices for a customer's sandwich order. The food that needs to be reheated to at least 165°F is the. It is essential to heat hot meals, such as roast beef, to a minimum temperature of 165°F (74°C) to ensure they achieve a safe internal temperature and reduce the risk of food-borne illnesses.

Food held between 5oC and 60oC for less than 2 hours can be used, sold or put back in the refrigerator to use later. • Food held between 5oC and 60oC for 2-4 hours can still be used or sold, but can't be put back in the fridge. • Food held between 5oC and 60oC for 4 hours or more must be thrown away.

Remember the 2-Hour Rule: Discard any perishables left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours, unless you're keeping it hot or cold. If the buffet is held in a place where the temperature is above 90 °F, the safe holding time is reduced to 1 hour. Watch the clock with leftovers, too!

Always reheat food until it is steaming hot all the way through (you should only do this once). Do not put food into hot holding without reheating it properly first. Check that reheated food is steaming hot all the way through. If the equipment seems to be working, reheat the dish for longer and then test it again.

The FDA advises that food should be reheated only once before consumption. Frequent reheating can lead to bacterial growth, potentially causing foodborne illnesses. When food is reheated multiple times, it may not reach the required temperature to kill harmful bacteria.

What is the safest way to reheat food? ›

It is safe to reheat frozen leftovers without thawing, either in a saucepan or microwave (in the case of a soup or stew) or in the oven or microwave (for example, casseroles and combination meals). Reheating will take longer than if the food is thawed first, but it is safe to do when time is short.

Hot foods must be stored above 63 degrees Celcius to prevent the excessive growth of bacteria. Hot foods can be kept below this temperature for a maximum of two hours before being used, returned to above 63 degrees Celcius or chilled.

*All parts of the food must reach a temperature of at least 165°F for 15 seconds. Reheating must be done rapidly, within 2 hours after being removed from refrigeration. Foods reheated in a microwave oven must be reheated so that all parts of the food reach a temperature of at least 165°F.

The State Sanitary Code now requires that the entire mass of all cooked and refrigerated potentially hazardous food which is to be reheated must be reheated to 165 degrees Fahrenheit or above within two hours, and held above 140 degrees Fahrenheit until served.

Maintain hot food at 135°F or above. Properly cooked roasts may be held at 130°F or above. Food made in-house and reheated for hot holding must reach an internal temperature of at least 165°F for 15 seconds.

The oven isn't optimal for a stir-fry or anything sautéed or steamed, but you can definitely reheat casseroles. Same with the types of food above—keep the heat low, around 200-250 degrees. Cover with foil or an oven-safe lid until the last few minutes to help keep the dish moist and fresh.

Bacteria grow most rapidly in the range of temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F, doubling in number in as little as 20 minutes. This range of temperatures is often called the "Danger Zone." Never leave food out of refrigeration over 2 hours.

To ensure foods like casseroles and roast meats do not dry out while reheating in the oven, just cover them with foil. Use a low-temperature like 350 degrees Fahrenheit and cook until the dish is just heated through, depending on the item this could be anywhere from 8 to 20 minutes.