Hot food should be held at ______ °F or warmer.

Hot food should be held at ______ °F or warmer.

• A. 120
• B. 140
• C. 165
• D. 135

Answer: (B)

Keeping hot foods at a safe holding temperature is about preventing bacterial growth during service. Hot foods should be kept at 140°F or warmer so they stay out of the danger zone where pathogens multiply rapidly. 120°F is not hot enough to prevent growth, while 165°F is a common reheating target to kill pathogens before holding, not the ongoing holding standard. Some guidelines cite 135°F as a minimum for hot holding, but 140°F is the standard used here, making 140°F the best choice.

Keeping hot foods at a safe holding temperature is about preventing bacterial growth during service. Hot foods should be kept at 140°F or warmer so they stay out of the danger zone where pathogens multiply rapidly. 120°F is not hot enough to prevent growth, while 165°F is a common reheating target to kill pathogens before holding, not the ongoing holding standard. Some guidelines cite 135°F as a minimum for hot holding, but 140°F is the standard used here, making 140°F the best choice.