Temperature Control

What core temperature should chicken reach when it is cooked?

• A75°C, and the same applies in Scotland as in the rest of the UK✓
• B82°C in Scotland and 75°C elsewhere, because Scottish cooking rules are stricter
• C63°C, which is the same as the minimum hot-holding temperature
• D100°C, so that the meat is certain to be safe all the way through

Answer: Cook to a core temperature of 75°C, or an equivalent time and temperature such as 70°C held for two minutes. That is the same across the UK — the requirement does not change at the Scottish border. The 82°C figure people associate with Scotland is real but applies to REHEATING: under the Food Hygiene (Scotland) Regulations 2006, food reheated for sale must reach 82°C, where England, Wales and Northern Ireland set no statutory reheat temperature. Mixing the two up is the commonest error on this topic.

What is the UK temperature danger zone for food?

• A15°C to 65°C
• B5°C to 60°C
• C0°C to 10°C
• D8°C to 63°C✓

Answer: The danger zone is 8°C to 63°C, where pathogenic bacteria multiply rapidly. Food must not be left in this zone longer than necessary.

How quickly must hot food cool after cooking?

• AIt can be cooled slowly overnight on the kitchen bench
• BWithin 90 minutes from 63°C to 8°C, then refrigerate✓
• CIt can stay at room temperature indefinitely once it has been covered
• DMust be kept hot above 63°C

Answer: According to UK Food Hygiene Regulations, cooked food must be cooled from 63°C to 8°C within 90 minutes (or 4 hours if 8-63°C range), then refrigerated.

What is the minimum temperature for hot holding food in a UK food business?

• A75°C
• B63°C✓
• C60°C
• D50°C

Answer: Hot food must be held above 63°C to prevent bacterial growth. If food drops below 63°C, it must be reheated to 75°C (or 82°C in Scotland).

What temperature should reheated food reach in England?

• A65°C
• B75°C✓
• C82°C
• D60°C

Answer: Reheated food must reach 75°C throughout in England (82°C in Scotland) to ensure pathogens are killed before serving.

How should the core temperature of food be checked during cooking?

• ABy looking at the colour of the juices and the outside of the food only
• BBy the smell of the food as it comes out of the oven and nothing else
• CThere is no need to check it as long as the oven timer has been set correctly
• DUsing a clean, calibrated food thermometer in the thickest part✓

Answer: A clean, calibrated food thermometer should be used to check core temperature in the thickest part of the meat to ensure safe cooking.

What should be done if you observe that a refrigerator temperature is 8°C when it should be 0-5°C?

• AContinue normal operations and note the reading in the temperature record book
• BMove food to a backup fridge; check and repair the fridge; review food safety✓
• CAdd ice only
• DLeave the fridge to settle on its own and check the reading again at the end of the day

Answer: A temperature above 5°C is a serious concern. The fridge must be repaired or replaced, and the cause must be investigated to ensure food safety.

How long can high-risk food be left at room temperature before it must be refrigerated or reheated?

• A30 minutes
• BUp to 4 hours as a single period, after which it must be used or discarded✓
• C2 hours
• D60 minutes

Answer: Food that needs temperature control may be kept out of it for a single period of up to 4 hours; after that it must be used, chilled again or thrown away, and it may only be done once. Do not confuse this with the 90-minute figure, which is the cooling requirement from 63°C to below 8°C.

What is the purpose of temperature monitoring in a food business?

• AIt is not really necessary once staff have learned to judge temperature by touch
• BTo ensure refrigerators and cooking processes maintain safe temperatures✓
• CTo give supervisors a way of checking that staff are completing their paperwork
• DOnly to fill in the record book, since the readings themselves are never acted upon

Answer: Temperature monitoring ensures food is stored and cooked safely, preventing bacterial growth and foodborne illness. Records are required by law.

How should frozen food be safely thawed?

• AIn the refrigerator at 0-5°C✓
• BAt room temperature on a counter
• CIn a microwave without proper training
• DIn a sink of warm water until it feels soft

Answer: Safe thawing occurs in the refrigerator at 0-5°C. Other methods allow pathogens to multiply rapidly in the danger zone.

What is a 'temperature probe' and how is it used correctly?

• AA clean, calibrated device to check core temperature of food✓
• BA piece of optional equipment that only large catering businesses need to buy
• CA device for measuring the ambient air temperature of the kitchen and store rooms
• DRedundant in a kitchen where cooking times are followed carefully

Answer: A temperature probe (food thermometer) is essential equipment. It must be clean, calibrated regularly, and inserted into the thickest part of food.

What is the significance of the 63°C 'holding temperature' in food safety?

• AIt's arbitrary
• BBelow 63°C, bacteria begin to multiply again; above 63°C, pathogens are inactivated✓
• CIt is only a guideline figure and carries no weight at all during a hygiene inspection
• DIt has no importance

Answer: 63°C is the threshold temperature above which most pathogens cannot grow (though high temperature kills them; 63°C maintains safety during holding).

If a ready-to-eat meal is prepared, held at 63°C, but then the oven cools and temperature drops to 59°C, what must happen?

• AWait for temperature to rise naturally
• BServe the meal as is
• CDiscard the meal
• DReheat to 75°C before serving✓

Answer: If hot-held food temperature drops below 63°C, it must be immediately reheated to 75°C (82°C in Scotland) to kill any pathogens that may have grown.

How frequently should fridge and freezer temperatures be checked and recorded?

• ADaily (ideally twice daily)✓
• BThey never need checking if the appliance is new
• COnce per week, at the weekly deep clean
• DOnce per year, when the appliance is serviced

Answer: Temperature checks should be recorded daily, preferably twice daily (morning and end of shift) to identify problems quickly and maintain compliance.

What core temperature and time is the standard for cooking pork safely?

• A70°C held for two minutes, or an equivalent such as 75°C for thirty seconds✓
• B70°C touched briefly, with no need to hold the temperature at all
• C63°C, matching the minimum temperature for holding food hot before service
• DA higher temperature than poultry, because pork carries more parasites

Answer: The rule is a time-and-temperature combination, not a single number: 70°C for two minutes, 75°C for thirty seconds and 80°C for six seconds all achieve the same reduction in bacteria. It is the same standard for pork as for chicken — the idea that poultry needs a hotter cook than other meat is a myth. What matters is the core, measured in the thickest part with a clean probe.

What is the safe internal temperature for beef steaks in the UK?

• A50°C (rare)
• B75°C minimum
• CSteaks can be cooked rare if surface is seared✓
• D60°C for medium-rare

Answer: Whole beef steaks can be safely cooked rare if the surface is seared, as pathogens are mostly on the surface. Minced beef must reach 75°C throughout.

How does blast chilling help in food safety?

• AIt rapidly cools cooked food through the danger zone (63-8°C), reducing time for bacterial growth✓
• BIt's only for decoration
• CIt doesn't help
• DIt freezes food permanently

Answer: Blast chilling rapidly cools hot food from 63°C to 8°C in minutes, minimising bacterial growth during the cooling process.

What is 'cook-chill' food and how must it be safely handled?

• APre-cooked food that's rapidly chilled, stored at 0-3°C, and reheated to 75°C before serving✓
• BFood that's never heated
• CAny cooked food that's chilled
• DOnly for restaurants

Answer: Cook-chill requires: rapid cooling to 0-3°C within 90 minutes, storage at 0-3°C for max. 3-5 days, and reheating to 75°C before serving.

What should a food business do if the freezer breaks down and food partially thaws?

• ARefreeze everything immediately without checking the temperature, since freezing again will kill any bacteria that have grown
• BUse the food as normal provided it still looks frozen on the outside, whatever the temperature inside the cabinet may have reached
• CAssess temperature loss and duration; if food remained at 0°C or below, refreeze may be safe; document and review food safety✓
• DDiscard every item in the freezer straight away without recording anything, even where the temperature never rose above freezing point

Answer: If temperature was maintained at 0°C or below and refrozen quickly, food may be safe. If temps rose significantly, food must be discarded.

What is the purpose of temperature-controlled transport for food?

• AIt is simply a tradition carried over from the days before refrigerated vehicles
• BIt is not really necessary as long as the delivery vehicle is clean inside
• CTo save fuel by keeping the load at a steady weight during the delivery round
• DTo prevent bacterial growth and maintain food safety during delivery✓

Answer: Temperature-controlled transport (insulated containers or refrigerated vehicles) maintains food at safe temperatures during distribution.