A dairy delivery of fluid milk arrives at 45°F. Under the Food Code, this milk:
a.Must be rejected, because fluid milk has to arrive at 41°F or below like other cold TCS food
b.May be received at 45°F but must be cooled to 41°F or below within 4 hours
c.Must be thrown out on the spot, since any milk over 41°F is counted as adulterated food
d.May be accepted and held at 45°F up to the sell-by date printed on the carton
Explanation
Fluid milk may be received at 45°F or below, but it must then be cooled to 41°F or below within 4 hours, so a 45°F delivery is acceptable if it is promptly cooled. Milk is one of the items the Code gives a special receiving allowance, so a 45°F arrival is not grounds to reject it or to discard it as adulterated. It also cannot ride out the carton's sell-by date at 45°F, because 45°F is inside the danger zone.
Law Reference: FDA Food Code §3-202.11Practice all 500 questions free — no signup required.
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