Temperature Control, Cooking, Cooling and Storage
What the exam tests
This domain tests the danger zone, safe cooking temperatures, two-stage cooling, hot and cold holding, thawing and safe storage.
Core rules
- The danger zone is roughly 5°C to 60°C. Keep food out of it.
- Cook poultry, stuffed foods and reheated food to at least 74°C. Cook minced meat thoroughly; check that juices run clear.
- Hot-hold cooked food at 60°C or above. Cold-hold at 5°C or below.
- Cool cooked food quickly: from 60°C to 21°C within 2 hours, then to 5°C within a further 4 hours. Use shallow containers and an ice bath.
- Thaw in the refrigerator, under cold running water, or in a microwave; never on the counter.
- Reheat only once and only to 74°C or above.
Worked example
A kitchen leaves a deep pot of dhal on the counter from 11 am to 4 pm. The centre stays warm for hours, allowing bacterial growth. Correct action: divide the dhal into shallow trays, cool it rapidly, refrigerate it, and reheat a portion to 74°C when needed. Do not reheat the whole pot repeatedly.
Traps that cost marks
- Trusting the pot's outside temperature instead of the food's centre.
- Overloading the fridge so food cools too slowly.
- Thawing meat on the counter.
- Reheating food more than once.
- Holding food at 30–40°C and calling it 'warm' or 'safe'.