What is the 2 hour 4 hour rule for foods in kitchen

All chefs and food handlers must follow 2-hour/4-hour rule in a good way to keep the food thats taken out of fridge safe for consumption.

Why to use 2-hour/4-hour rule?

The 2-hour/4-hour rule is a good way to make sure potentially hazardous food is safe even if it’s been out of refrigeration.

The rule has been scientifically checked and is based on how quickly microorganisms grow in food at temperatures between 5°C and 60°C.

This rule tells you how long freshly potentially hazardous foods*, foods like cooked meat and foods containing meat, dairy products, prepared fruits and vegetables, cooked rice and pasta, and cooked or processed foods containing eggs, can be safely held at temperatures in the danger zone.

How this works

• Food held between 5°C and 60°C for less than 2 hours can be used, sold or put back in the refrigerator to use later.

• Food held between 5°C and 60°C for 2-4 hours can still be used or sold, but can’t be put back in the fridge.

• Food held between 5°C and 60°C for 4 hours or more must be thrown away.

The time between 5°C and 60°C is cumulative— that means you need to add up every time the food has been out of the fridge, including during preparation, storage, transport and display.

As long as you follow this, you can be confident the food is safe.

How do I use the rule?

• Start timing from when the food is brought out of refrigeration (at 5°C or below).

• Keep track of how long the food is out of refrigeration so you can be sure when the 2-hour and 4-hour time limits are reached (e.g. write down each time food is brought out of refrigeration and put back, or display food on colour-coded plates so you know when they have to be sold by).

• Remember to add up all time periods the food has been between 5°C and 60°C to work out the total time. If in doubt, throw it out.

EXAMPLE:

A sandwich is freshly prepared at 1 pm and placed in a non-refrigerated display case:

(1) You can keep the sandwich out of refrigeration for up to 2 hours (until 3 pm) and then refrigerate and bring out again later in the day, say 4 pm (not to go back into the refrigerator for later use after this point). If not used by 6 pm (4 hours out of temperature control in total) then throw it away,

OR

(2) can keep the sandwich out of temperature control (refrigeration) for up to 4 hours straight- until 5 pm- then you need to throw it away.

* Foods that are not potentially hazardous and can be stored out of temperature control are foods like dried fruit, salted dried meats, hard cheeses, dried pasta and other dried foods, breads, unopened canned and bottled food, spreads and sauces such as tomato and soy sauce. 

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