Food danger zone question?

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TheProphecy

Assistant Cook
Joined
Feb 12, 2009
Messages
31
Location
Miami
The danger zone for food is 40-140f and recently 41-135f. but let's say i kept food at 141f, would it make a difference?
 
Depends on what type of food you are talking about. Fruit for example doesn't have to be refrigerated, meat does. A very rare steak is considered done at 120 degrees, rare 125, medium rare 130, etc. All of those are within your generic danger zone. What are you talking about in relation to temp verses food.

That being said, storing food, any food, for an extended period of time at 141 degrees will make it go rotten quickly. Where do you live that that would be the storage temperature for your food?
 
Not a major difference. Use those temps as a guide by try hard to stay within them. If you are not 100% within the guidelines then do not stress too much. I have some meat sauce defrosting in cold water in the sink right now. I do not have any ice so I am relying on the cold tap water to be cold enough. I took the temp and it is around 41-42 degrees. I am OK with that.
 
well nothing really, but bacteria multiplies in the danger zone, but like callisto said, if any food spoils at 140f if you keep it there for a while, that answers my question.
 
well nothing really, but bacteria multiplies in the danger zone, but like callisto said, if any food spoils at 140f if you keep it there for a while, that answers my question.
I was thinking more along the line of storing food but I would never cook food at that temp either. Even my crockpot doesn't go that low. Sure, I put frozen food in it on occassion, but it's generally only when I have liquid that heats up around the food. Crockpots, however, are uniquely designed to cook frozen food without a danger zone, or I've been lead to believe based on the fact that the instructions that come with a crock say you can put frozen food in the device. I would think if it were dangerous, the insturctions would discourage such actions.
 
Food should not be cooked at temps withing the danger zone. It is called the danger zone for a reason :LOL:
 
well nothing really, but bacteria multiplies in the danger zone, but like callisto said, if any food spoils at 140f if you keep it there for a while, that answers my question.

We need to distinguish between food safety and food spoilage. Pathogenic bacteria don't multiply above 140 F, at least not significantly.

Nor is there any reason to believe that food spoils quickly at 141 degrees or above since regulations require restaurants to hold food at that Temp. and don't regulate how long it can be held there.

If your question is; Can I feel safe holding cooked food at 141 F for a few hours for some reason before consuming it, the answer is yes. However, some food will see significant quality deterioration at that temp such as drying out and losing flavor.
 
mozart ~ you have sort of hit the nail on the head with your post. The OP was so vague it was impossible to actually know what he was asking. When I said stored, I meant more than a couple hours, I meant days, weeks, etc and wondered where he lived that it got that hot. Even canned goods can't last at that temp. He's very vague but with good intentions.
 
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