4. The maximum time period that a food can be in the danger zone without becoming
dangerously contaminated is:
a. 2 hours.
b. 1 hour.
c. 3 hours.
d. 4 hours.
5. Frozen beef was removed from the freezer in the morning and left to thaw at room
temperature for 2 1/2 hours. It was replaced in a refrigerator for 2 hours. The beef was
then removed from the refrigerator and sliced, covered, and placed on the counter while
vegetables were prepared. This took 45 minutes. The ingredients were combined into
a stew and cooked at a temperature of 150 F. When finished, the stew was left to cool
at room temperature for 15 minutes and then refrigerated until served that afternoon.
About 1 1/2 hours prior to reheating for serving, a food service employee removed the
stew from the refrigerator, placed it on the counter and because he was rushed, forgot
about it. The stew remained on the counter and was then heated to about 140 F and
served. Which of the following statements describes the most likely result of this
procedure?
a. The beef was not contaminated. Although carelessly prepared, it did not
remain in the danger zone long enough for contamination to occur.
b. The beef was not contaminated. It was exposed to the danger zone for the
time period required to produce serious contamination, but it was not exposed in one
continuous time span. The intermittent refrigeration prevented contamination.
c. The beef was contaminated. It remained in the danger zone long enough for
serious contamination to occur. It is true that it was not exposed to danger zone
temperatures for one consecutive time span; however, each separate exposure adds up
to the time limit necessary to produce dangerous contamination.
MD0181
7-9