Kitchen SOP for Holding of Prepared Hot / Cold Foods

SOP Number: Kitchen / F&B Production SOP – 8

Department: Kitchen / Food Production - Receiving Food and Raw Materials 

Date Issued: 20-Sep-2018

Time to Train: 30 Minutes

Purpose of this SOP:

All hot food should be held hot at above 57º Celsius and cold food should be held cold below 5º Celsius. Temperatures of food will be taken routinely to ensure that proper temperatures are maintained through holding to ensure the safety of the food served to customers. Any conflict between food quality and food safety must always be decided in favour of food safety and when in doubt about the safety of food, throw or discard the food out.

Holding Prepared Foods in Kitchen Standard Procedures:

1) How to Hold Prepared Hot Foods in Kitchen?

• Always prepare and cook only as much food as is needed.

• Batch cooking is recommended and ideal for maintaining food temperature and quality.

• Use food warmers, food heating lamps or hot-holding equipment that can keep hot food at 57º Celsius or higher.

• Make sure to Follow manufacturer’s instructions in using the food warmer or hot-holding equipment.

• For food warmers using steam, indicate that the steam table wells need to be filled with hot water and at what level.

• Keep foods covered to retain heat and to keep contaminants from falling into food.

• Using a calibrated thermometer for measuring internal food temperatures once an hour.

• Record temperatures in the Holding Temperature Log and take required action accordingly.

• If temperatures are below 57º Celsius then reheat the food to 74º Celsius.

• Discard hot potentially hazardous food after four hours if they have not been properly held at or above 57º Celsius.

• Never mix freshly prepared food with food being held for service.

2) How to Hold Prepared Cold Food in Kitchen?

• Use cold-holding equipment or refrigerated counter that can keep cold foods below 5º Celsius.

• Using a calibrated thermometer for measuring internal food temperatures once an hour.

• Record temperatures in the Holding Temperature Log and take required action accordingly.

• If temperatures are above 5º Celsius, then refrigerate the food again or adjust the temperature.

• Protect cold food from contaminants with covers or food shields.

• Discard cold potentially hazardous foods after four hours if they have not been properly held below 5º Celsius.

• If there are no temperature controls, cold food held for longer then six hours must be discarded.

• Place cold food in pans or on plates first, never place them directly on ice.

• The only exceptions are whole fruits and vegetables that will be washed after holding.

• Ice used on a display should be self-draining.

• Make sure to wash and sanitize drip pans after each use. 

Training Summary questions:

Q1. What is the purpose of this SOP?

Q2. What frequency the temperature of the holding food to be checked?

Q3. Explain how to hold prepared hot foods in the kitchen?

Q4. Why does the food need to be discarded if they have not been properly held at the correct temperature?

Q5. What should be the holding temperature for Hot and Cold foods?