How do I make sure cook chill food is safe?
Cook chill foods require special processing to ensure they are safe. Time and temperature control during storage and handling are critical to the cook chill system because bacteria can grow in the extended time between food production and consumption. There are three different cook chill processes: • Cook chill food intended to be served cold – is cooked, chilled and then served cold (eg cooked desserts, cooked meats intended for salads or sandwiches) • Cook chill food with short life – only receives a minimum heat treatment (70°C for 2 minutes or equivalent), is rapidly chilled, stored in gastronome trays in low temperature conditions and is thoroughly reheated to 75°C minimum before consumption (eg lasagne) • Cook chill food with extended life — typically receives a more severe heat treatment and is packaged aseptically (eg soups, sauces). It is strongly recommended that you seek expert advice to help determine the appropriate cooking process, storage temperatures and shelf life, esp
