Food Waste Avoidance 3 - Temperature Danger Zone

The TDZ lies between 5°C and 60°C, where bacteria grow and multiply the fastest.


It is important to keep high-risk foods below 5°C or above 60°C. High-risks foods are:

• Raw and cooked meat
• Dairy products
• Eggs and egg products
• Seafood
• Cooked rice and pasta
• Prepared salads
• Prepared fruit salads

Because bacteria can grow and multiply on these foods more easily than others, so you should be more careful with these items.

2 hour/4 hour rule

The 2 Hour/ 4 Hour Rule tells you how long freshly prepared high-risk foods can be safely held at temperatures in the danger zone; that is between 5°C and 60°C.

It takes time for food poisoning bacteria to grow to unsafe levels. Applying time limits helps to ensure risky foods remain safe to eat.