Bacteria in Food Can Double in Just 20 Minutes

Food left out on the counter changes faster than it looks. The Food Safety and Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture states that bacteria grow most rapidly in the range of temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, doubling in number in as little as 20 minutes. The agency calls this range the Danger Zone. The advice that follows from it is simple. Keep hot food hot, at or above 140 degrees Fahrenheit, and keep cold food cold, at or below 40 degrees. Leftovers need attention as well. According to the agency, they must be put in shallow containers for quick cooling and refrigerated at 40 degrees or below within two hours. The point of the shallow container is speed, so that the food passes through the Danger Zone quickly.