How To Identify PHF Food Safety Anywhere You Are

What is PHF?

PHF is referred for 'Potentially Hazardous Food'. Potentially Hazardous Foods or PHF can be defined as the category of foods which is required to be kept in conditions so that growth of harmful bacteria can be minimized.
In other words, PHF are foods which are kept at a particular temperature to stop the formation of toxins over food to avoid the risk of food poisoning to the consumers. A few examples of potentially hazardous food include-
- Meats in raw or cooked form
- Dairy products
- Seafood
- Fruits and vegetables after processing like cut melons
- Cooked Pasta and rice dishes
- Egg dishes, protein-rich foods and soy products
- Sandwiches and rolls

What is PHF food safety?

Food safety in PHF can be maintained by two basic factors, time and temperature. Both these factors play a crucial role in growth of harmful bacteria and formation of toxins over food.

Temperature
Danger zone represents the temperature range where growth of harmful bacteria is fastest on the PHF. The recommended danger zone for food is the temperature range between 41 and 135 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the most hospitable zone for growth of harmful bacteria is considered to be between the temperature range of 70 and 125 degrees Fahrenheit. Within this danger zone, the food may appear, smell and taste normal, but the growth of harmful bacteria may result in foodborne illnesses or food poisoning in the consumer. The longer time PHF is kept in this zone, the greater risk of growing harmful bacteria on the food.
- Keep hot PHF at 140 degrees Fahrenheit or above
- Keep cold PHF at 41 degrees Fahrenheit or lower
- Make sure to register the temperatures using a food thermometer

Time
The concept of danger zone explains the temperature range for safe food or food safety. However, there is time factor also involved with this danger zone. Normally, hazardous foods are safe if kept at 41 degrees Fahrenheit or colder or 135 degrees Fahrenheit or hotter, but is remains safe if food is kept for less than 4 hours. The reason for this time frame is that food poisoning bacteria takes more than four hours to grow to dangerous levels.
It is also advisable that PHF should be refrigerated within two hours to prevent growth of harmful bacteria.
- Usually most PHF foods will have enough harmful bacteria to risk foodborne illness or food poisoning to consumer after 4 hours in danger zone
- So, these foods must be consumed within 4 hours or chilled/reheated
- After 4 hours these PHF must be discarded
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Eating out is one of the most common ways to get food poisoning.

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How to identify PHF

PHF can be categorized as those foods which provide conducive environment for the growth of harmful bacteria over the food. There are three basic characteristics to identify PHF. These are foods that contain
- Moisture
- Protein
- Acidic in nature
Usually low pH foods are acidic in nature and they provide better conditions for the growth of harmful bacteria. These foods may include jam, honey, pickles and fruits.
Higher the moisture content of the food, growth of harmful bacteria will be faster. Pathogens require water to grow and food items with high moisture content can facilitate breeding ground for bacteria.
Food handlers can't control the content of food items but they can surely prevent the growth of harmful bacteria by regulating the time and temperature control of the PHF to keep food safe.
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What does a Potentially Hazardous Foods label mean?

All potentially hazardous foods or PHF displayed for sale in temperature danger zone of 41 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit requires to have the PHF label for public health. These labels inform customers about when the food should be eaten by or thrown out to avoid risk of foodborne illnesses.
PHFs may be kept in danger zone for more than 4 hours. This will allow harmful bacteria to grow over the food. Thus, it is vital for the customer to know till when exactly this food can be consumed.
It is advisable that at discard time, PHFs must be removed from the service.
For example, take chicken cooked on Jan 13
- At 6am, chicken is 168 degrees Fahrenheit, which is safe
- At 7 am, chicken is 134 degrees Fahrenheit, in danger zone
- Add 4 hours when temperature of food hits danger zone, 7am + 4 hours= 11 am
- Make sure label has 'Discard' date and time, DISCARD 01/13 at 11 am
Danger Zone

What foods are considered PHF?

Pathogens grow faster on moist, protein rich and acidic foods. All such foods that falls under these three categories can be considered as PHF. For example, PHF foods include
- Meats in raw or cooked form- Includes raw or partially cooked bacon
- Dairy products- Milk or milk products including cheese and butter
- Seafood- Fish, Shellfish and other seafood
- Fruits and vegetables after processing like cut melons
- Cooked Pasta and rice dishes
- Egg dishes, protein-rich foods and soy products
- Sandwiches and rolls
- Poultry and poultry products

Food poisoning is a serious issue that can be avoided.

There are many foods that have certain characteristics that make them hazardous.

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How to avoid getting sick from PHF

Potentially Hazardous Foods or PHF may prove dangerous if consumed without proper precautions. In order to avoid getting sick from PHF, you need to handle, cook and store PHF in proper manner for food safety. PHF if not cooked at the right temperature or left in temperature danger zone may risk you with food poisoning or foodborne illnesses. Storage of PHF's is equally important to avoid getting sick.

Cooking
Always refer to a standard food temperature chart when cooking PHF. Maintain the temperature mentioned in the chart while cooking. Don't forget to use a food thermometer to check the minimum internal temperature of the food.

Handling
Keep the PHF out of temperature danger zone after cooking for food safety. Food temperature must be maintained at 140 degrees Fahrenheit or hotter or 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder for safe food. Throw away PHF if it is kept at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Storage
Cool PHF rapidly to refrigerate it at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. Use storage containers to store PHFs in refrigerator. Reheat them on the recommended temperature before consuming after storage.
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Bottom line

It is a legal requirement of food business to receive, store, process and display food with all necessary steps to avoid contamination and risk of foodborne diseases to the consumer. In case of PHFs, additional precautionary steps are required to keep them safe for consumption. Food handlers need to take care of the time and the temperature factor to keep the PHF safe as per food code. Once these factors are taken care of, you can enjoy your food or serve it to the customers with no hesitation.