Temperature Control
The Temperature Control Regulations require that certain high risk foods for human consumption be kept under strict temperature control during distribution, storage and preparation. This is to restrict the growth of certain bacteria such as Salmonella and Listeria which can cause serious food poisoning. Certain foods need to be kept either hot or cold to ensure that any bacteria present do not grow to dangerous levels. The law applies to all places where foods are manufactured, processed, prepared or stored, it also applies to delivery vehicles.
Refrigeration
It should be stressed that refrigeration does not kill bacteria present in foods, it slows up their growth, delaying spoilage and helps to ensure that dangerous numbers of food poisoning bacteria do not occur.
Categories Of Food
The following foods must be kept cold at a temperature of 8oC or below, or if they are already cooked and waiting to be served hot, they must be kept at a temperature of 63oC or above:
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Cooked products containing:
- Meat, fish or eggs
- Substitutes for meat, fish or eggs
- Soft or hard cheeses
- Pulses, eg lentils, vegetables or cereals (eg rice)
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Cooked pies and pasties containing products listed above unless they are to be sold on the day of their production or the next day and have nothing (ie gelatine) added to them after baking.
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Cooked sausage rolls, unless intended to be sold on the day of production or the next day.
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Slices cut from smoked or cured meats (except uncooked bacon).
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Ripened soft cheeses, eg Brie, Stilton, Camembert.
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Prepared vegetable salads, eg coleslaw.
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Uncooked or partly cooked pastry and dough products containing meat, fish, eggs or substitutes for these, or ripened soft cheese, or vegetables (eg uncooked or partly cooked pizzas or ravioli).
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Prepared sandwiches or filled rolls containing meat, fish, eggs or substitutes for these, or ripened soft cheese, or vegetables. (This does not include cold sandwiches to be sold within 4 hours of completion of preparation).
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Some dairy-based desserts eg fromage frais.
Not withstanding the legal requirement it is good practice to ensure that chilled foods are maintained at between 1degree C and 8 degrees C.
There is an exemption that relevant foods may be kept at above 80 degrees C for a single period of not more than 4 hours. Hot foods may be stored below 63 degrees C for a maximum of 2 hours.
All quick frozen foods must be stored, transported and displayed for sale at a temperature of -18 degrees C or below in order to maintain quality.
Good Practice Recommendation - Temperature Checks
In order to check the efficiency of refrigeration equipment it is strongly recommended that daily temperature readings be taken and recorded in a log book. The temperature measurement should be taken 2-3 times a day.
If the air temperature inside the cabinet is marginally above the 8 degrees C limit measurements may be taken either between packs or as a last resort by inserting the temperature probe into the food itself.
If the measurements indicate that the chilled cabinet is not maintaining foods at a cold enough temperature the maintenance engineer should be called immediately.
It is good practice to use a probe thermometer to check that cooked and reheated foods reach a temperature of at least 75 degrees C.
Footnote
This guidance note is one of a series on Food Hygiene Practices produced by the Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire Environmental Health Officers Food Group.
If you require further advice, please contact your local Environmental Health Department.