Final answer:
Cold foods without temperature control at a catered event are safe for up to two hours, beyond which the risk of bacterial growth increases, making the food potentially unsafe to consume.
Step-by-step explanation:
The cold foods being held without temperature control at a catered event can be held for up to two hours. This limit is based on food safety guidelines to prevent rapid bacterial growth, which tends to occur between temperatures of 4 and 60 degrees C (40 and 140 degrees F). If the food remains within this temperature range for more than two hours, it may become unsafe to consume due to the potential for bacteria to multiply to dangerous levels. Foods should therefore be kept refrigerated and cold until they are ready to be served to maintain safety.