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Temperature danger zone poster for commercial kitchens.
Bacteria grow fastest between 4°C and 60°C. Hold hot food above 60°C, cold food at or below 4°C, and move food through the zone fast. The rule on one clear visual. Print it and post it where food is held.
How to use the poster
The danger zone is the temperature range between 4°C and 60°C, where bacteria multiply quickly. They grow best at body temperature, around 37°C. Most food poisonings come from food held at the wrong temperature, so the whole job is keeping hot food hot, cold food cold, and not letting food sit in between. The poster keeps that rule in front of staff.
Keep hot food hot
- Hold hot food at 60°C or above
- Check the steam table and stove with a probe thermometer
- Cover food to hold the heat and block contamination
Keep cold food cold
- Hold cold food at 4°C or below
- Keep a reliable thermometer in the fridge
- Keep frozen food at -18°C or below
The two-hour rule
- No hazardous food in the danger zone more than two hours
- Cool food fast in shallow pans or an ice bath
- Reheat to the original temperature within two hours
- Discard hazardous food left out at room temperature
Download the danger zone poster
Free, one page, letter size. The 4°C to 60°C range with hot and cold holding marks, ready to post by the line and the fridge.
Every kitchen is different. This poster is a general guide based on standard Canadian food safety practice, not a one-size-fits-all rule. Holding temperatures and time limits can vary with the food and with your local health unit. Review it and adapt it to your facility before you rely on it. Probe It Food Safety provides this resource for general guidance only.
Certified Public Health Inspector
The danger zone is where most of the trouble starts. Food gets cooked properly, then sits on a steam table that is not quite hot enough, or cools on the counter because the walk-in was full. I probe the food that is being held, not just the food coming off the stove. A tray of rice reading 45 degrees on the line has been in the zone too long, no matter how well it was cooked an hour ago.
Samira Ali · Certified Public Health Inspector · Probe It Food SafetyCommon questions
What is the temperature danger zone?
The danger zone is the temperature range between 4°C and 60°C, where bacteria grow quickly. They grow best at body temperature, around 37°C. The goal in any kitchen is to keep hazardous food out of this range as much as possible.
What temperature should hot food be held at?
Hold hot food at 60°C or above to stop bacteria from growing. Check the temperature on the steam table and the stove with a probe thermometer, and cover the food to hold the heat in and protect it from contamination.
What temperature should cold food be held at?
Hold cold food at 4°C or below to slow or stop bacterial growth. Keep a reliable thermometer in the fridge and let air circulate around the food. Frozen food should be held at -18°C or below.
How long can food stay in the danger zone?
Do not leave hazardous food in the danger zone longer than two hours while preparing it. Move food through the zone quickly, cool it fast in shallow pans or an ice bath, and reheat it to its original temperature within two hours. Hazardous food left out at room temperature must be discarded.