Temperature Control

Temperature control means keeping perishable food out of the range where bacteria multiply fastest, by cooking thoroughly, holding hot food hot, keeping cold food cold and cooling cooked food quickly.

  • Food safety
  • Food safety programs

Temperature control is the set of practices that keeps perishable food out of the range where bacteria grow fastest. USDA's consumer guidance calls 40°F to 140°F the Danger Zone, where bacteria can double in as little as 20 minutes. The FDA Food Code uses 41°F to 135°F as the temperature danger zone for time/temperature control for safety (TCS) foods. Temperature control covers cooking to safe internal temperatures, cold holding, hot holding, rapid cooling and thorough reheating. Time is part of it too: perishable food should not sit out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F.

FDA calls improper cooling one of the top contributors to foodborne illness, and pathogens can grow rapidly in TCS foods left at the wrong temperature. Some bacterial toxins resist heat, so cooking cannot always undo earlier mishandling. For bakers, the risk centers on perishable items made with dairy, eggs, custard, fresh fruit or meat, which Iowa State University Extension says must be refrigerated. It also applies to the two-hour room-temperature limit, which starts as soon as those items finish baking.

Key facts

USDA consumer Danger Zone
40°F to 140°F
FDA Food Code danger zone for TCS foods
41°F to 135°F
Food Code cooling
135°F to 70°F in 2 hours, then to 41°F within 4 more hours
Maximum time out of refrigeration
2 hours (1 hour above 90°F)

In a bakery or commercial kitchen

  • Cool cooked TCS foods from 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours, then to 41°F or below within the next 4 hours
  • Speed cooling with shallow pans, smaller or thinner portions, ice-water baths or rapid-cooling equipment
  • Limit refrigerated storage of mixed, cut or packaged TCS foods to seven days at 41°F
  • Reheat leftovers and precooked foods to 165°F, checked with a probe thermometer
  • Cook egg dishes such as quiche to 160°F and casseroles to 165°F

For home and cottage bakers

  • Refrigerate perishable baked goods within 2 hours of baking, or within 1 hour when it's above 90°F
  • Keep the refrigerator at 40°F and the freezer at 0°F, checked with an appliance thermometer
  • Cool leftovers quickly in shallow containers and reheat them to 165°F or until hot and steaming
  • Store breads and cookies airtight on the counter for 3 to 4 days, or freeze for longer storage

Related entries

Sources

Written by VanillaGoods in our own words from these sources. Last reviewed October 17, 2026.

  1. How Temperatures Affect Food, USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service
  2. Cooling Cooked Time/Temperature Control for Safety Foods and the FDA Food Code: for Food Employees, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
  3. Cook to a Safe Minimum Internal Temperature, FoodSafety.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)
  4. Food Safety Practices for Baked Goods, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach (AnswerLine)
  5. Food Safety Factors Affecting Microbial Growth (FST-9), Virginia Cooperative Extension