NYC Rules of the City of New York

§ 81.10 — Time as a Public Health Control; Exception to Required Holding Temperatures of Potentially Hazardous (Temperature Control for Safety) Foods.

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What is NYC RCNY § 81.10?

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(a) Use of time controls. Food service establishments may use time as the sole public health control, rather than using time in conjunction with temperature, for holding potentially hazardous foods, only in accordance with the provisions of this section.

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Effective: 8/8/2015Last amended: 8/8/2015

§ 81.10 Time as a Public Health Control; Exception to Required Holding Temperatures of Potentially Hazardous (Temperature Control for Safety) Foods.

RCNY § 81.10

(a)Use of time controls. Food service establishments may use time as the sole public health control, rather than using time in conjunction with temperature, for holding potentially hazardous foods, only in accordance with the provisions of this section. Such foods shall not be returned to temperature control at any time with the intent to extend their use.

(1)Initial temperatures. Potentially hazardous foods shall be at an initial temperature at or below 41 degrees Fahrenheit (5 degrees Celsius) when removed from cold holding temperature control, or at or above 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius) when removed from hot holding temperature control.

(2)After cold holding. Ready-to-eat foods and other potentially hazardous foods removed from cold holding temperatures may be kept for a maximum of six hours without further temperature control provided that at four hours the food has not reached or exceeded an internal temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius). If such food has reached or exceeded an internal temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius) it shall be discarded immediately.

(3)After hot holding. Potentially hazardous foods removed from required hot holding temperatures may be held at ambient temperatures for no more than four hours after removal from temperature control.

(4)Tomatoes. Time as a public health control may be used when slicing whole tomatoes previously held at ambient temperature, and the sliced tomatoes may be held for no more than four hours, and then discarded if not used or consumed.

(5)Holding limits. Food shall not be held out of temperature control any longer than provided in paragraphs (2), (3) and (4) of this subdivision and must, by when the respective allowable period of time has passed, either be discarded or served.

(b)Labeling. All foods removed from temperature control in accordance with this section shall be labeled or marked as follows: (1) Four hour labeling. Food to be held for up to four hours shall be labeled or marked at the time it is removed from temperature control with the date and time of removal, temperature at time of removal, and the discard time, four hours after removal from temperature control, when such food shall be discarded if not served.

(c)Limits on use of time as a public health control. Time shall not be used as the sole means of public health control, and 24 RCNY Health Code § 81.09 shall remain applicable as follows: (1) Holding raw eggs prior to using such eggs in food prepared for (i) persons who may be at higher risk for food-borne illnesses, such as immunocompromised persons including residents or clients of senior centers, charitable feeding programs, adult day care programs, custodial care and health care facilities, and assisted living programs; (ii) infants and children attending summer camps, child day care and pre-school programs; and (iii) pupils in primary and secondary schools.

(d)Violations.

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