Question

How many hours, for food safety, should perishables, prepared foods, and leftovers be refrigerated or frozen?
Responses

a 2

a 2

b 3

b 3

c 4

c 4

d 5

Answer 1

The correct response for how long perishables, prepared foods, and leftovers should be left at room temperature before they need to be refrigerated or frozen for food safety is **a 2** hours. Foods should be refrigerated or frozen within 2 hours to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. If the temperature is above 90°F (32°C), this time reduces to 1 hour.