In the next segment, we'll explain temperature control including the danger zone, hot and cold holding, proper cooking temperatures, thawing and cooling food.
TEMPERATURES
Foods must be cooked and held at correct temperatures and cooks must use a metal or digital thermometer to ensure that meat, and seafood and other cooked foods reach safe minimum internal temperatures.
Obviously, the only way to be sure that you've cooked something to the right temperature is with a probe thermometer.
Remember. Always hold cold foods at 41 degrees Fahrenheit or less. Always hold hot foods at 135 degrees Fahrenheit or above.

PROPER PRACTICES
Most bacteria do not in very hot or cold temperatures. The danger zone in which bacteria can grow rapidly is between 41 degrees Fahrenheit and 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Potentially hazardous foods may not be at for more than four hours while being prepared.
When you're working with food, it's key to work quickly in small batches. Keep the rest of the food you're not working with hot or cold either below 41 degrees if it's cold, or above 135 degrees if it's hot food. If Food has been left at room temperature for an unknown amount of time, throw it away. It can be unsafe to eat.
Keeping hot foods hot, also known as hot holding, is important because cooking in itself does not kill all , and bacteria resumes growth if foods are allowed to drop into the temperature danger zone. To ensure temperature safety, steam tables, super warmers and other hot holding units must be and before hot food is put into them.
Use thermometers to check the temperature of the food and be sure to cover and food often to distribute heat evenly. And remember to never mix cold foods with cooked foods. Cold cooked food that needs to be for hot holding must be heated to 165 degrees fahrenheit for 15 seconds within 2 hours before being put onto the steam table to be held at 135 Degrees Fahrenheit.
The steam table should already be hot before food is placed inside.

COOKING MEAT
Temperature control is a strong defense against foodborne illness and injury, and cooking meats is no exception. The Guidelines for cooking meat are crucial to keeping customers healthy. Know the proper cooking temperatures for of meat and check your temperatures with the thermometer. But depending on the type of meat you're serving, safe temperatures can .
Temperature control is also vital when it comes to handling cold foods. When practicing cold holding, always be mindful of the danger zone and keep cold foods at 41 degrees Fahrenheit or colder.
Foods can be kept in a refrigerator, ice or other approved methods to keep bacteria from growing. When using ice to keep food cold, the ice must the container to the top level of the food.

THAWING FOOD
When you're thawing food, it's time to think about the danger zone again, which would be any time the food is above 41 degrees.
Acceptable methods of safely thawing frozen foods include :
- In the refrigerator. Put frozen foods in the refrigerator until thawed. This is and method. Thaw raw meats on the bottom shelf or in the container to avoid cross-contamination.
with other foods.
- Under cold . Keep the food covered in cold 70 degrees Fahrenheit or colder running water until it's thawed.
Or you may thaw as part of the cooking process or in the microwave for certain foods. Small items such as frozen burritos may be thawed while they cook.

COOLING OR STORING FOOD
In addition to hot and cold holding, proper cooking temperature and the correct thawing techniques, special care must be taken when cooling unserved leftovers or storing freshly cooked food, because bacteria can form quickly as food transitions through the temperature Danger Zone.
It goes back to the danger zone. You want to move food through the danger zone as quickly as possible. For instance, you make some hot food and you want to reserve the next day, your goal is to safely cool the food from 135 degrees to below 41. The key to cooling food safely is in two phases. Cool hot food from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 70 degrees Fahrenheit within two hours and within a total of six hours from 135 Degrees Fahrenheit to 41 Degrees Fahrenheit.
cooling is a leading contributor to foodborne illness. we can't stress enough how important it is to, please, take cooling seriously. Move the food the danger zone as quick as possible, because bacteria can produce that are not destroyed by reheating temperatures.
Cooling food is often step in food preparation. Here's a quick outline on the facts of temperature control. The danger zone is between 41 degrees Fahrenheit and 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Food must not remain in the danger Zone for four hours. Hold cold foods at 41 degrees Fahrenheit or less. Hold hot foods at 135 degrees fahrenheit, or .

CONCLUSION
Know the proper cooking temperatures for meats, poultry and seafood and use the correct thermometer.
Follow the steps for safe thawing and cooling of food.
Time now for a closer look at what we just learned. So far, we've covered two of the top three defenses against foodborne illness and injury.
- We showed you how and provide a first line of protection from spreading contaminants in the food you serve.
- We outlined aspects of temperature control, designed to keep food out of the danger zone and free from potential hazards.