TCS food prepared on site may be held at 41°F or lower for a maximum of how many days?

TCS food prepared on site may be held at 41°F or lower for a maximum of how many days?

• A. 3
• B. 7
• C. 14
• D. 5

Answer: (B)

Holding cold TCS foods at 41°F or lower slows bacterial growth, so they can be kept safely for up to seven days. Start counting from the day the food is prepared (or opened) and label it with the prepare date and discard date. If it stays at or below 41°F, discard after seven days even if it looks and smells fine. If the temperature rises above 41°F at any point, discard immediately. Shorter or longer timeframes don’t apply because the standard limit is seven days for cold-held TCS foods.

Holding cold TCS foods at 41°F or lower slows bacterial growth, so they can be kept safely for up to seven days. Start counting from the day the food is prepared (or opened) and label it with the prepare date and discard date. If it stays at or below 41°F, discard after seven days even if it looks and smells fine. If the temperature rises above 41°F at any point, discard immediately. Shorter or longer timeframes don’t apply because the standard limit is seven days for cold-held TCS foods.