Temperature control - 2 to 4 hour guide
All food businesses in the Northern Territory (NT) must meet requirements and standards for keeping potentially hazardous food at safe temperatures.
Potentially hazardous foods include:
- foods containing raw and cooked meats including casseroles, pies and sandwiches
- dairy products and processed foods containing eggs, beans and nuts
- seafood
- processed fruits and salads such as prepared salads and ready to eat fruit packs
- cooked rice and pasta.
Two-hour and four-hour guide
Ready-to-eat foods potentially hazardous foods can safely remain between 5°C and 60°C for less than 4 hours.
This is because it takes more than 4 hours for food-poisoning bacteria to grow to dangerous levels.
The 2-hour and 4-hour guide only applies to ready-to-eat potentially hazardous foods and the time refers to the life of the food, including preparation and cooling, not just to display times.
| Total time limit between 5°C and 60°C | What you should do |
|---|---|
| Less than 2 hours | Refrigerate or use immediately |
| Between 2 hours and 4 hours | Ok to use immediately |
| More than 4 hours | Throw out |
You must document how long food is kept out of temperature control.
More information
For more information, contact Environmental Health. Get their contact details on the NT Health website.
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