Storing potentially hazardous food at 5 degrees Celsius or below to slow bacterial growth and keep it safe.
Storing potentially hazardous food at 5 degrees Celsius or below to slow bacterial growth and keep it safe. Cold storage is the storage of food at low temperatures, generally refrigeration at 5 degrees Celsius or below, to slow the growth of bacteria that cause food poisoning and spoilage. Chilling does not kill most bacteria, but it slows them down enough that potentially hazardous food stays safe for a reasonable time. Cold storage is one of the most important everyday controls in a food business, covering cool rooms, fridges and refrigerated display units. Under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code food safety standards, potentially hazardous food must be kept at 5 degrees Celsius or colder, unless a time-based control such as the two-hour four-hour guidance is being used, or the food is frozen. Keeping food out of the temperature danger zone, between 5 and 60 degrees Celsius, is the goal of cold storage, and businesses are expected to monitor storage temperatures as part of their food safety practices. In an Australian venue, staff keep cool rooms and fridges running at 5 degrees Celsius or below, check and record temperatures regularly, and avoid overloading units or leaving doors open, which can push temperatures up. Ready-to-eat food is stored above raw food to prevent drips, and stock is rotated using First In, First Out so nothing sits past its date. Cold storage links closely to goods receipt and the cold chain. Chilled deliveries are moved into cold storage quickly to limit time in the danger zone, and probe thermometers are used to verify temperatures. If a fridge or cool room fails, businesses need to judge, using time and temperature, whether affected potentially hazardous food is still safe or must be discarded. A restaurant keeps its cool room at 3 degrees Celsius and records the temperature at the start and end of each day. When a delivery of chilled meat arrives, staff probe it, confirm it is at or below 5 degrees Celsius, and move it straight into cold storage, placing it below the ready-to-eat items and rotating older stock to the front.
Frequently asked questions
What is cold storage?
Storing food at low temperatures, generally at 5 degrees Celsius or below, to slow the growth of bacteria that cause food poisoning and spoilage.
What temperature should cold storage be?
Potentially hazardous food should generally be kept at 5 degrees Celsius or colder, unless a time-based control such as the two-hour four-hour guidance applies or the food is frozen.
Does cold storage kill bacteria?
No. Chilling slows bacterial growth rather than killing most bacteria, which is why cold storage keeps food safe for a limited time rather than indefinitely.
How should food be arranged in cold storage?
Ready-to-eat food should be stored above raw food to prevent drips, and stock should be rotated using First In, First Out so older items are used first.
Why record cold storage temperatures?
Recording temperatures shows the food was kept out of the temperature danger zone, supports monitoring under a food safety program, and helps spot equipment problems early.
