Final answer:
Cooked pre-cooked sausage should be held above 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit) for short-term holding, and if not served within two hours, it should be refrigerated for long-term storage and then reheated thoroughly before consumption.
Step-by-step explanation:
Once cooked, pre-cooked sausage should be held at a safe temperature until served. This is important for both food safety and quality.
For short-term temperature stability, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines indicate that hot foods should be kept at 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit) or above after cooking.
This ensures that the sausage remains out of the 'danger zone' for bacterial growth, which is between 4 degrees Celsius (40 degrees Fahrenheit) and 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit).Post-cooking, sausages can be held for a maximum of two hours in this safe temperature range before they should either be consumed or stored for long-term.
If the sausage will not be eaten within two hours, it should be refrigerated for long-term storage. Reheating should be done until the sausage reaches a proper internal temperature, and the reheating process should ensure that food safety standards are maintained.