How should potentially hazardous foods (PHFs) be stored?

Potentially hazardous foods (PHFs) are those that can support the rapid growth of harmful bacteria, which can cause foodborne illnesses. To ensure the safety of these foods, they must be stored at temperatures that inhibit bacterial growth.

Storing PHFs at 41°F or below is considered safe because this temperature slows down the growth of most pathogens. The range of 41°F and below is typically recognized as the refrigeration standard to prevent spoilage and maintain food safety. When foods are kept at temperatures higher than this, specifically between 41°F and 135°F, the risk of rapid microbial growth increases significantly, making them more susceptible to causing foodborne infections.

This is why the other choices do not meet the safety criteria: a range of 31°F to 130°F allows for significant temperature variation that can promote bacterial activity; a range of 41°F to 135°F also supports increased risk; while 35°F or below offers a tighter control but is not the minimum required temperature for safe storage, making it acceptable but not necessarily the standard required to prevent foodborne illness. Thus, storing PHFs at 41°F or below is the most effective method to keep these foods safe.