What is it?
The temperature danger zone is one of the most important things that is taught to you in culinary school. If you have ever worked at a decent restaurant then you might have heard of this. But what is it? To put it simply, it is the range of temperatures your food needs to stay away from. Both raw, cooked, frozen or refrigerated.
What are the temperatures?
When storing or cooking your food there is a range that you MUST! stay away from. Those temperatures are colder than 41 F and hotter than 140 F. Anything in between those temperatures, is when bacteria starts to grow.
Why should I care about bacteria?
If you dont care much about the restaurant industry you might be wondering why should I care about bacteria? Here is why you should care. When food that is supposed to be refrigerated is exposed to the temperature danger zone. You run the risk of bacteria growing on the food. This bacteria can lead to food poisoning and food-borne illnesses. These illnesses are very dangerous and can possibly kill you, more if you are an elder or child.
How do I stay safe?
According to the USDA the best and easiest way to stay safe is to keep food out of the danger zone. To do this you have to
1.) Never leave food out for more than 2 hours
2.) Put leftovers in shallow containers so it can cool down faster
3.) When reheating food you want it to reach an internal temperature of 165 F. If using a microwave, food should be fine
4.) Thaw meat under cold water or in a container in the fridge. Never use a microwave or hot water to thaw out meat.
5.) Cook proteins to their correct internal temperature
Here is my preferred food thermometer, if you would like more options that I have used and recommended click on this link.