“Potentially hazardous” foods sound to many of us like something we don’t want to eat. In reality, this descriptive phrase has been used for many years by food regulators such as FDA and health departments. Food regulators can require proper refrigeration and cooking for foods that are designated as “potentially hazardous.”

As interest and concern about food safety have increased, the designation has appeared in popular papers and magazines. The designation “potentially hazardous food” simply identifies food for which time/temperature management is necessary for safety. For example, an apple pie is not considered a potentially hazardous food because it may be kept at room temperature and remain safe to eat. A banana cream pie, on the other hand, is a potentially hazardous food because it must be kept under refrigeration to maintain its safety.

Potentially hazardous food includes a wide range of perfectly wholesome, nutritious food commonly found in home refrigerators, including most meats, poultry, fish, dairy products, cooked pastas and cooked vegetables. The term does not imply that a food is naturally unhealthful. Rather, it means that the food needs to be stored under proper refrigeration and must be handled and cooked properly to maintain its safety.

Any food that supports or allows the growth of pathogenic microorganisms needs to be handled with special care to be kept safe for human consumption. Foods with protein (amino acids), low acidity and high moisture (available water) are likely to support microorganism growth. (See Table 1.)

Table 1: Characteristics of Foods Characteristics Food

Protein Foods (Amino Acids)

meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, eggs Low Acid

protein foods listed above and vegetables except tomatoes

Moisture High (above 40%)

protein foods listed above and fruits and vegetables

Moisture Intermediate (20-40%) soft candies; jams; jellies; honey; many dried fruits; some bakery items; some meat products such as pepperoni, country ham, jerky and some dried fish Moisture Low (Below 20%)

Low dry milk; dry eggs; flour; cereals; dehydrated vegetables and meats

Water in food is one of the most important factors influencing microbial growth. The moisture must be available; that is, not tied up in any way. Sugars and salts will tie up moisture. This means that the moisture is not available for microorganisms to use for growth. Syrups and honey are examples of foods that appear to have a lot of moisture but do not spoil without refrigeration because their moisture is bound by the high sugar concentration. Another example is ketchup, which is high moisture but also contains enough acid to be safe at room temperature.

These Foods Require Special Care

• Meat
• Poultry
• Fish
• Shellfish
• Meat-and-seafood salads
• Potato salad
• Milk products
• Eggs
• Cream pies
• Custards
• Eclairs
• Cream puffs
• Cake fillings
• Gravies
• Cooked pasta
• Cooked vegetables
• Mushrooms
• Rice
• Refried beans

Certain foods are involved repeatedly in cases of foodborne diseases. Foods that have been identified in the United States as vehicles from 1977-1984* are listed below:

Item Number Roast Beef 155 Raw Shellfish (mostly Norwalk-like virus illnesses) 128 Turkey 86 Chicken 69 Ham 65 Pork, Unspecified 57 Mexican-style Foods (beans, ground/shredded meat) 56 Chinese Food (mostly rice) 51 Potato Salad 41 Rice 27 Chicken Salad 22 Cream-filled Pastry 17 Meat Tacos/Enchiladas 14 Shrimp 14 Macaroni Salad 12 Pizza 11 Turkey Salad 10 Tuna Salad 9 Ground Meat 9 Barbeque Meat 9 Egg Salad 7

*Surveillance data from Centers for Disease Control (Bryan, 1988a).

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