Why does temperature matter so much?
Temperature is the most important tool for slowing down microbes. Cold slows them and enough heat destroys them.
Between the two there is a danger zone where they multiply. Leave food in it for as little time as possible.
That is why, when a food must be served cold, it has to be chilled as soon as possible after cooking or preparing it.
To remember
- Cold to slow, heat to destroy.
- Less time in the mild zone, less risk.
Facts and sources for this section
- When a food has to be kept or served cold, it must be chilled as soon as possible after heat treatment or the final stage of preparation. [S3]
At what temperature do I keep each food cold?
For retail, Real Decreto (Royal Decree) 1021/2022 sets the internal temperatures in a table. These are the most common ones.
Minced meat: 2 °C or less. Poultry and meat preparations: 4 °C or less. Beef, pork and other ungulates (hoofed animals): 7 °C or less, and offal: 3 °C or less.
Fresh fish and cooked, chilled shellfish: a temperature close to that of melting ice (0-4 °C). Cut or peeled fruit and vegetables, and unpasteurised juices: 4 °C or less. Frozen and deep-frozen foods: -18 °C or less.
Measure the internal temperature with a clean thermometer.
To remember
- Minced meat, 2 °C; poultry and meat preparations, 4 °C.
- Ungulates, 7 °C; offal, 3 °C.
- Frozen: -18 °C or less.
Facts and sources for this section
- The temperature requirements for prepared meals are now in article 30 of Real Decreto (Royal Decree) 1086/2020, as worded by Real Decreto 1021/2022, published in the BOE on 21/12/2022 and in force since 22/12/2022. [S6]
- Minced meat must be kept at 2 °C or less. [S6]
- Poultry and meat preparations must be kept at 4 °C or less. [S6]
- Beef, pork and other ungulates (hoofed animals) must be kept at 7 °C or less, and offal at 3 °C or less. [S6]
- Fresh fish and cooked, chilled shellfish are kept at a temperature close to that of melting ice (0-4 °C). [S6]
- Cut or peeled fruit and vegetables, and ready-to-eat unpasteurised juices, are kept at 4 °C or less. [S6]
- Frozen or deep-frozen foods are kept at -18 °C or less. [S6]
And what about food that is already cooked?
Prepared meals are made as close as possible to when they will be eaten and are served as soon as possible, unless they are chilled, frozen or kept at 63 °C or more.
If they are chilled, they must be at 4 °C or less when their shelf life is longer than 24 hours, and at 8 °C or less when it is shorter than 24 hours. Frozen ones, at -18 °C or less.
These rules are now in article 30 of Real Decreto (Royal Decree) 1086/2020, as worded by Real Decreto 1021/2022, published in the BOE on 21/12/2022 and in force since 22/12/2022. The latter repealed Real Decreto 3484/2000, which was the previous rule.
To remember
- Hot: 63 °C or more.
- Chilled: 4 °C or less (shelf life over 24 hours) or 8 °C or less (under 24 hours).
- Frozen: -18 °C or less.
Facts and sources for this section
- Prepared meals are made as close as possible to when they will be eaten. [S6]
- Prepared meals are served as soon as possible, unless they are chilled, frozen or kept at 63 °C or more. [S6]
- Chilled prepared meals are kept at 4 °C or less if their shelf life is longer than 24 hours, and at 8 °C or less if it is shorter than 24 hours. [S6]
- Frozen prepared meals are kept at -18 °C or less. [S6]
- Real Decreto (Royal Decree) 1021/2022 repealed Real Decreto (Royal Decree) 3484/2000, the previous rule on the hygiene of prepared meals. [S6]
- The temperature requirements for prepared meals are now in article 30 of Real Decreto (Royal Decree) 1086/2020, as worded by Real Decreto 1021/2022, published in the BOE on 21/12/2022 and in force since 22/12/2022. [S6]
How do I cool a stew safely?
A meal prepared hot that you are going to chill or freeze must drop, at the centre of the product, from 60 °C to 10 °C in less than 2 hours.
To manage this, divide the stew into wide, shallow containers, or use a blast chiller or an ice-water bath. Do not leave it to cool on its own in the big pot.
To remember
- From 60 °C to 10 °C in less than 2 hours.
- Shallow containers, better than one big pot.
Facts and sources for this section
- A meal prepared hot that is going to be chilled or frozen must drop, at the centre of the product, from 60 °C to 10 °C in less than 2 hours. [S6]
How do I reheat without risk?
When reheating, the centre of the food must reach at least 74 °C for at least 15 seconds, and do so within 1 hour of taking it out of the fridge.
Reheated food must reach the customer as soon as possible. Whatever is left over is thrown away: it is not reheated or stored again.
To remember
- 74 °C at the centre, for at least 15 seconds.
- Reheated food that is left over is thrown away.
How do I defrost and freeze properly?
Defrost in the fridge, so that there is no cross-contamination and no contact with the liquid it gives off. Defrosting in a microwave or under cold running water is also allowed if you cook the food straight afterwards.
In retail, food cannot be refrozen, unless it has been processed after the first freezing, for example by cooking it.
If you freeze in your own premises, pack and label with the date of preparation or processing, the date of freezing and the use-by or best-before date.
Fish that will be eaten raw or lightly cooked must first be frozen at -20 °C for at least 24 hours or at -35 °C for at least 15 hours, to kill anisakis larvae.
To remember
- Defrost in the fridge, not on the worktop.
- Do not refreeze what has been defrosted.
- Label with the dates.
Facts and sources for this section
- Food is defrosted in the fridge, avoiding cross-contamination and contact with the defrosting liquid. Defrosting in a microwave or under cold running water is also allowed if the food is cooked straight afterwards. [S6]
- In retail, food cannot be refrozen, unless it has been processed after the first freezing. [S6]
- Products made on the premises that are frozen are packed and labelled with the date of preparation or processing, the date of freezing and the use-by or best-before date. [S6]
- Fish and cephalopods that will be eaten raw or with treatment that is not enough to kill anisakis larvae must first have been frozen at -20 °C for at least 24 hours or at -35 °C for at least 15 hours. [S6]
What about eggs?
Raw egg can be used in preparations that reach 70 °C for 2 seconds at the centre, or 63 °C for 20 seconds if they are served for immediate consumption, such as fried eggs or omelettes.
For products without that heat, such as mayonnaise, you must use egg products from authorised establishments instead of raw egg.
These foods made with egg, if they are not stable at room temperature, are kept at 8 °C or less and eaten within a maximum of 24 hours. The date and time of preparation are written down.
To remember
- Runny omelette: only with the heat stated and served straight away.
- Mayonnaise: made with egg products, not raw egg.
Facts and sources for this section
- Raw egg can be used in preparations that reach 70 °C for 2 seconds at the centre of the product, or 63 °C for 20 seconds if they are served for immediate consumption, such as fried eggs or omelettes. [S6]
- To make products that will be eaten without that heat treatment, raw egg must be replaced with egg products from authorised establishments. [S6]
- Foods made this way with egg that are not stable at room temperature are kept at 8 °C or less, eaten within a maximum of 24 hours, and the date and time of preparation are recorded. [S6]
How do I read the dates on labels?
The use-by date is a red line: once it has passed, the food is not considered safe. The best-before date shows how long it keeps its quality.
Where it applies, the label must state the storage conditions and the date by which to eat it once the pack is opened.
Put new stock at the back and the oldest at the front.
To remember
- Use-by: do not use it after that date.
- Once opened, follow the deadline on the label.
Check what you have learned
Three questions from the test, with their explanation. Tap an answer.
Question 1 of 3
A chilled prepared meal with a shelf life of more than 24 hours must be at:
See the answer
Correct: D, 4 °C or less. If the shelf life is more than 24 hours, the maximum is 4 °C; if it is less than 24 hours, 8 °C is allowed. [S6]
Question 2 of 3
At what temperature must minced meat be kept?
See the answer
Correct: C, At 2 °C or less. Minced meat is more delicate: the table sets a maximum of 2 °C. [S6]
Question 3 of 3
What does it mean when a food has passed its use-by date?
See the answer
Correct: A, It is no longer considered safe. The use-by date is a safety limit. The best-before date is about quality. [S5]