Study guide
Receiving and Storing Food: Temperatures, Rejection and Shelf Order
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Receive cold TCS food at 41°F or below, hot food at 135°F or above, and frozen food frozen solid. Reject damaged packages and anything showing signs of temperature abuse. In the cooler, store ready-to-eat food on top and raw poultry on the bottom.
| Shelf, top to bottom | Why |
|---|---|
| Ready-to-eat food | Not cooked again |
| Fish, steaks and chops | Cooked to 145°F |
| Ground meat and ground fish | Cooked to 155°F |
| Poultry | Cooked to 165°F |
What to know for the exam
- Untreated shell eggs can be received at an air temperature of 45°F or below.
- Large ice crystals or water stains on frozen food mean it thawed and refroze. Reject it.
- Keep shellstock tags for 90 days from the date the container is emptied.
- Ready-to-eat TCS food held for more than 24 hours needs a date mark. It can be kept up to 7 days at 41°F or below.
- Buy only from approved, inspected sources.
Questions and answers
What temperature should cold food be received at?
41°F or below, unless the Food Code allows a different temperature for that food, such as 45°F air temperature for untreated shell eggs.
What goes on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator?
Raw poultry, because it needs the highest cooking temperature.
How long do you keep shellfish tags?
90 days from the date the last shellfish is used from the container.