Reheat Foods Safely

Improperly reheated foods are another frequent cause of food-borne illness. When foods are prepared ahead and then reheated before serving, they should move through the danger zone as rapidly as possible and be reheated to at least 165°F/74°C for at least fifteen seconds. As long as proper cooling and reheating procedures are followed each time, foods may be cooled and reheated more than once.

Food handlers must use the proper methods and equipment for reheating potentially hazardous foods, which should be brought to the proper temperature over direct heat (burner, flattop, grill, or conventional oven) or in a microwave oven. A steam table will adequately hold reheated foods above 140°F/60°C, but it will not bring foods through the danger zone quickly enough to be used for reheating them.