A food worker reheats fried rice for hot holding. After an hour, he measures the temperature at 167°??(75°??).
What should he do next?
a. ?Discard the rice
b. ?Add ice to cool the dish
c. ?Place the rice on hot holding equipment
d. ?Continue heating until its temperature reaches 170°??(77°??)
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is:
c. Place the rice on hot holding equipment.
Explanation:
Food safety is crucial when it comes to the proper handling of hot foods, especially during processes like reheating and hot holding. In this case, the food worker has successfully reheated the fried rice to a temperature of 167°F (75°C), which is within the safe range for hot holding. The general guideline for hot holding food is to keep it at a temperature of at least 135°F (57°C) or higher. This ensures that harmful bacteria are prevented from growing and that the food remains safe for consumption.
The temperature of 167°F (75°C) is above the minimum required for hot holding, meaning the fried rice is currently safe to be placed on hot holding equipment. Hot holding equipment, such as steam tables, warming trays, or heat lamps, is designed to keep food at a consistent, safe temperature without further cooking or cooling the food.
Why the other options are incorrect:
- a. Discard the rice: This option is not necessary since the rice has reached an appropriate temperature for hot holding. Discarding it would be wasteful.
- b. Add ice to cool the dish: This option would be appropriate if the food had exceeded safe temperature limits for hot holding and needed to be cooled down. However, in this case, the fried rice is already within the safe temperature range, so there’s no need to cool it.
- d. Continue heating until its temperature reaches 170°F (77°C): While it is important to reheat food to a safe temperature, the rice is already at 167°F (75°C), which is sufficient for hot holding. There’s no need to further heat it unless it falls below 135°F (57°C).
By placing the rice on hot holding equipment, the food worker ensures that the rice remains at a safe temperature for customers without overcooking or wasting food.