2020.08.17 – SAFE STORAGE OF COOKED MEAT

Objective of Learning:
The central objective is to establish the technical principles that define the safe timeframe and conditions for transferring oven-cooked meat from ambient temperature to refrigeration, in order to prevent bacterial proliferation and preserve food safety.

SCIENTIFIC FRAMEWORK OF STORAGE

● Cooked meat must not remain at ambient temperature for more than two hours after removal from the oven.
● In environments with ambient temperatures above 32 °C, the limit reduces to one hour.
● The critical temperature danger zone is defined between 5 °C and 60 °C, where bacterial growth is accelerated. 🌡️
● Cooling in open air for 15 to 30 minutes facilitates partial temperature reduction before refrigeration.
● Dividing the meat into smaller portions allows faster cooling and reduces microbiological risk.
● Introducing excessively hot food directly into the refrigerator can raise the internal temperature of the appliance, compromising other stored foods. 🧊

INSTITUTIONAL BASIS OF FOOD SAFETY

● The term “refrigerator” designates the domestic or industrial cold preservation chamber that maintains temperatures below 5 °C.
● The concept of “temperature danger zone” originates from institutional food safety standards applied universally in public health.
● Safe refrigeration is defined as the technical process that transfers food from post-cooking temperatures to ≤ 5 °C within two hours. 🍽️
● Labeling containers with the date and time of refrigeration supports proper storage management.
● Hygienic storage requires dry and clean containers that avoid retention of steam.
● The structural principle of food preservation is based on interrupting bacterial multiplication by limiting exposure to critical temperatures. 📘