Question

In early childhood programs, any hot foods remaining in serving bowls at the end of a meal should be:

Answer 1

Hot foods left over at the end of a meal in early childhood programs should be promptly refrigerated and any that have been at room temperature for over two hours should be discarded to prevent bacterial growth.

Step-by-step explanation:

In early childhood programs, any hot foods remaining in serving bowls at the end of a meal should be refrigerated as soon as possible to prevent the growth of bacteria. Foods must not be left at temperatures between 4 and 60 degrees Celsius (40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit) for more than two hours. If they have been, they should be discarded to ensure the safety of all who might consume them later. Furthermore, hot foods should reach an internal temperature of at least 74 degrees C (165 degrees F) to kill any potentially harmful bacteria, and using a cooking thermometer is advised to verify this.