When business is booming, it isn't always possible to cook everything to order.  For the times when you hold food (hot or cold) before serving, here are some tips from SEFA:

Safely Holding Food for Service

In many foodservice operations, food is cooked to order.  Food that is stored, prepared, cooker properly and then served immediately is less likely to cause illness.  However, even in operations that cook to order, many menu items are cooked and held for service.  This is a perfectly acceptable practice as long as safety guidelines are followed.

Hot Foods:

1. Never use hot-holding equipment to reheat food if it is not designed to do so.
2. Only use hot-holding equipment that can keep food at an internal temperature of 135° F or higher.
3. Stir food at regular intervals to distribute temperature evenly.
4. Keep food covered.
5. Check internal food temperatures every two hours.
6. Discard potentially hazardous food after 4 hours if it has not been held at or above 135° F.
7. Never mix freshly prepared food with food being held for service.
8. Prepare food in small batches so it will be used faster.

Cold Foods:

1. Only use cold holding equipment that can keep food at 41° F or lower.
2. Do not store food directly on ice.
3. Check internal food temperatures every two hours.
4. Protect food from contaminants with covers or sneeze guards.