Final answer:
The temperature danger zone for food safety ranges from 41°F to 135°F, within which bacteria can multiply rapidly, making food potentially unsafe. The correct answer is c. 41-135°F. Keeping food out of this range is essential to prevent foodborne illnesses.
Step-by-step explanation:
The temperature danger zone is the range of temperatures in which bacteria can grow rapidly on food, potentially leading to foodborne illness. This zone is between 41°F to 135°F. Therefore, the answer to the student's question is c. 41-135°F. It's crucial to keep perishable food out of this zone to minimize the risk of bacterial growth.
In the context of human body temperature, while the body typically maintains an average temperature of around 98.6°F, variations outside the range of 75°F to 111°F can be severe or life-threatening. However, the temperature danger zone being referred to in the question deals with food safety, not the range of survivable body temperatures.
When food is held within the temperature danger zone for more than two hours, there's an increased risk for the rapid multiplication of bacteria, making the food unsafe to eat. The key to food safety is to cook food above this zone and cool and store foods below this zone to inhibit bacterial growth.