Hot Holding at 135 F

Hot-held TCS food must stay at 135 F (57 C) or above. Food goes into the holding unit already hot, and the temperature is taken in the thickest part of the food.

Key points:

Reheat to 165 F for 15 seconds before food goes into hot holding.
Stir food in steam tables so the whole mass stays above 135 F.
Never use a hot-holding unit to reheat food from cold.
Discard hot-held food that sat below 135 F for four hours or more.

Verify it against the source, not a memory of it. On the exam you are given a number, and the right answer is the one the Food Code actually requires.

Free practice bank: FoodSafe Prep.