Which Foods Need Time And Temperature Control For Safety?
Foods that are at risk for the rapid growth of harmful bacteria need time and temperature control to stay safe. They must be stored at proper temperatures to prevent foodborne illnesses from developing. TCS foods include:
Dairy Products: Milk, cheese, yogurt, and other dairy foods.
Eggs: Cooked, raw, or processed eggs.
Meat: Beef, pork, lamb, and other red meats.
Poultry: Chicken, turkey, duck, and other fowl.
Fish and Shellfish: All fish and shellfish, including both cooked and raw.
Cooked Rice, Beans, and Vegetables: These foods become moist and nutrient-rich when cooked, and are susceptible to bacterial growth.
Tofu and Other Soy Products: These protein-rich foods are also at risk for bacterial growth.
Sprouts and Sprout Seeds: Sprouts create a warm, moist environment for bacteria.
Cut Melons, Tomatoes, and Leafy Greens: Once cut, these types of food are more vulnerable to bacterial contamination.
Untreated Garlic-in-Oil Mixtures: This mixture creates an oxygen-free environment, ideal for botulism-causing bacteria.
Which Foods Do Not Need Temperature Control?
Foods that don’t need time and temperature control for safety (non-TCS foods) aren’t at risk for harmful bacteria growth. Non TCS foods are usually acidic, or low in moisture, and include:
Dry Goods: Dry cereals, dry pasta, dry rice, flour, and crackers.
Unopened Canned Goods: Commercially canned foods that have been properly processed.
High-Acid Foods: Foods such as pickles, jams, jellies, and most fruit pies.
Foods High in Sugar: Foods like granulated sugar, honey, and syrup.
Foods High in Salt: Salted snacks and foods that have a high salt content.
Uncut Whole Fruits and Vegetables: Uncut produce like apples, bananas, oranges, potatoes, and onions. Once cut, these items may become TCS foods.
Commercially Processed Foods: Foods that have been processed to eliminate harmful bacteria, such as pasteurized juices and shelf-stable products.
What Are TCS Foods?
TCS stands for time and temperature control for safety, a phrase that is widely used and recognized in the U.S. food industry. FDA food safety regulations emphasize the importance of time and temperature control to keep food safe. It’s also a requirement for food handlers and managers to understand and implement TCS food safety procedures. Neglecting to follow temperature monitoring regulations can result in fines, license suspension, and lawsuits from consumers who become sick after they eat contaminated food.
How to Safely Thaw TCS Foods
Thawing foods in the refrigerator is the safest way to prevent the growth of bacteria. To prevent juices from dripping down onto lower foods, place your frozen food on a lower shelf. It may take extra time to thaw your food so plan ahead. Thawing TCS foods under cold running water requires specific conditions to ensure safety. The water must run continuously at 70°F or lower. The food has to be fully submerged in the running water throughout the thawing process. This works better if you are thawing small items. Large items take too long to thaw and run the risk of bacterial growth on the outer parts of the food. The food should be cooked immediately or refrigerated to be safe.
A microwave should only be used to thaw food if it’s going to be cooked immediately after thawing. Microwave thawing may be uneven, meaning some parts of the food may be thawed while others stay frozen. The food must be cooked to a safe internal temperature after thawing.
Some TCS foods can be cooked while they’re still frozen, such as frozen vegetables or pre-portioned foods. Ensure the food reaches the proper internal cooking temperature so potential bacteria doesn’t develop.
Time & Temperature Control Food Holding Temperatures
Hot TCS foods have to be held at an internal temperature of 135°F or higher. Cold TCS foods must be kept at 41°F or lower. These required thresholds keep food outside the temperature danger zone, where bacteria can quickly multiply. Foods kept outside these temperatures for an extended time period, should be thrown out to prevent foodborne illness.
Best Methods For Cooling Foods Safely
Safely cooling cooked TCS foods is also necessary to prevent bacteria and foodborne illnesses from growing. Rapid cooling is often used to move the food through the temperature danger zone quickly. Ice water baths place food in shallow containers to submerge it in an ice-water mixture. Another way is to use an ice paddle, which is a water-filled frozen container.
Thicker foods need to be moved into smaller containers to accelerate the cooling process. Blast chillers are designed for rapid cooling and used in many commercial settings. A calibrated thermometer should be used to monitor the food’s internal temperature to ensure it is 41°F or lower.
Reheating TCS Foods Safely: Essential Time and Temperature Guidelines
To reheat TCS food properly and safely, they need to be reheated to an internal temperature of 165°F for 15 seconds within two hours. This minimizes the time the food is in the temperature danger zone. An oven, stovetop, microwave, or steam table can be used to reheat the food. Visual cues aren’t reliable for reheating food, so it’s important to ensure they are monitored. Until they’re served, food should be kept at a temperature of 135°F or higher. Hot holding equipment is designed to maintain temperature, not for cooking or reheating food.
Conclusion
Our E-Control Systems innovative solutions for food safety temperature monitoring include IntelliSense™ and IntelliCheck™. Our systems are compliant with regulations and can be easily monitored 24/7 using your smartphone, and eliminate the need to conduct manual temperature checks. You can receive data and alerts for your equipment, and reduce human errors to ensure all of your food is kept at the proper temperature. Our free app has instant alerts and enables you to make corrective actions quickly, to prevent food inventory loss and to safeguard the health of your customers. If you’re in the food service industry and need to safely monitor food temperatures, contact us at E-Control Systems today to learn more about what our innovative food safety temperature monitoring systems can do for your business.
