The Four-Hour Rule

Food is handled in many stages between the time it is received and the time it is finally served. This progression, called the flow of food, is discussed further in a later section. During each stage, food might be allowed to remain in the Food Danger Zone for a time. To protect food and keep it safe, follow the four-hour rule: Do not let food remain in the Food Danger Zone for a cumulative total of more than 4 hours between receiving and serving.

For example, imagine a food that is left on the loading dock for 30 minutes before being put into cold storage, removed from storage and left on the worktable for an hour before being prepared, and finally cooked at a low temperature so that it takes 3 hours to reach a safe internal temperature. This food has spent a total of 4½ hours in the danger zone and should be considered unsafe.