A school cafeteria bakes cinnamon apples that will be held on the hot line until lunch ends. A cook argues that fruit is safe at any temperature. How should the manager respond?
a.The cook is right; fruit is not TCS food and needs no cooking temperature
b.Cooked fruits held for hot holding must reach at least 135°F, the same as vegetables
c.The apples must reach 165°F for 15 seconds, because any baked dish counts as a stuffed food
d.The apples must be cooled to 41°F and then held cold, because fruit may not be hot-held
Explanation
Fruits and vegetables cooked for hot holding must reach a minimum of 135°F. Once cooked, these plant foods become TCS foods, so they must be brought to and kept at the hot-holding temperature to prevent pathogen growth. Baking does not make a dish a stuffed food requiring 165°F, and nothing prevents cooked fruit from being hot-held.
Law Reference: FDA Food Code §3-401.13Practice all 500 questions free — no signup required.
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