Food Safety Temperatures for the Food Manager Exam
Updated October 27, 2026
Temperatures are the most tested numbers on food protection manager exams such as ServSafe Manager. They come from the FDA Food Code. Learn the tables below, then try the free practice questions.
Your local health department may set stricter rules. Follow those at work.
The temperature danger zone
Bacteria grow fastest between 41°F and 135°F (5°C to 57°C). Keep cold food at 41°F or lower and hot food at 135°F or higher.
Minimum internal cooking temperatures
| Food | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Poultry (chicken, turkey, duck), stuffing, stuffed meat, dishes with previously cooked TCS ingredients | 165°F | Less than 1 second |
| Ground meat (beef, pork), injected or mechanically tenderized meat | 155°F | 17 seconds |
| Seafood, steaks and chops of beef, pork, veal and lamb | 145°F | 15 seconds |
| Roasts of beef, pork, veal and lamb | 145°F | 4 minutes |
| Shell eggs for immediate service | 145°F | 15 seconds |
| Fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes for hot holding | 135°F | |
| Food cooked in a microwave (meat, poultry, seafood, eggs) | 165°F | Let stand 2 minutes |
Holding, cooling and reheating
| Step | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Hot holding | 135°F or higher |
| Cold holding | 41°F or lower |
| Cooling | From 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours, then from 70°F to 41°F or lower within the next 4 hours (6 hours total) |
| Reheating for hot holding | 165°F for 15 seconds, within 2 hours |
Refrigerator storage order (top to bottom)
- Ready-to-eat food
- Seafood
- Whole cuts of beef and pork
- Ground meat and ground fish
- Whole and ground poultry
The order follows the minimum cooking temperature: foods cooked to a higher temperature go lower, so their juices can’t drip onto foods that are cooked less or not at all.
Free food safety temperature practice questions
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What is the minimum internal cooking temperature for chicken?Answer: CPoultry must reach 165°F, held for less than 1 second (instantaneous), to kill pathogens such as Salmonella.
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What is the temperature danger zone?Answer: BPathogens grow fastest between 41°F and 135°F, so cold food is held at 41°F or lower and hot food at 135°F or higher.
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Cooked soup must be cooled from 135°F to 70°F within what time?Answer: BFood must cool from 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours, then from 70°F to 41°F or lower within the next 4 hours, for a total of 6 hours.
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What is the minimum internal temperature for ground beef?Answer: DGround meat must reach 155°F for 17 seconds, because grinding spreads bacteria from the surface throughout the meat.
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In a refrigerator, which item should be stored on the lowest shelf?Answer: CPoultry has the highest minimum cooking temperature (165°F), so it goes on the bottom shelf, where its juices can't contaminate other foods.
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Food that will be hot held must be reheated to what temperature?Answer: CFood reheated for hot holding must reach 165°F for 15 seconds within 2 hours.
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What is the maximum temperature for cold-held food?Answer: BCold TCS food must be held at 41°F or lower to slow the growth of pathogens.
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How is a bimetallic stemmed thermometer calibrated using the ice-point method?Answer: BFill a container with ice and water, insert the stem, wait for the needle to stop, and adjust the calibration nut until it reads 32°F (0°C).
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Which is a safe way to thaw frozen raw chicken?Answer: CSafe thawing methods include the refrigerator (41°F or lower), submerged under running water at 70°F or lower, in a microwave if the food will be cooked right away, or as part of cooking.
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Shell eggs cooked for hot holding, such as for a breakfast buffet, must reach at least:Answer: CEggs cooked for hot holding must reach 155°F for 17 seconds. Eggs cooked for immediate service need 145°F for 15 seconds.
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Which is the best way to cool a large pot of chili quickly?Answer: DDividing food into smaller, shallow containers and using an ice-water bath or ice paddle cools it faster. A large pot of hot food in a cooler cools too slowly and warms nearby foods.
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Ready-to-eat food from a commercially processed, sealed package that will be hot held must be reheated to at least:Answer: ACommercially processed, ready-to-eat food from a sealed package (such as canned beans) must be reheated to at least 135°F for hot holding. Food cooked and cooled on site must reach 165°F for 15 seconds.
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Stuffed pasta made with a cooked meat filling must be cooked to what minimum internal temperature?Answer: DStuffed foods, such as stuffed pasta or stuffed meat, must reach 165°F, because stuffing can hold pathogens and slows heating.
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When checking the temperature of a roast, where should the thermometer be placed?Answer: ACheck the thickest part, where the food heats most slowly, and take a second reading in another spot. Avoid touching bone or the pan, which can give false readings.
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What is the minimum internal cooking temperature for pork chops?Answer: BSteaks and chops of pork, beef, veal and lamb must reach 145°F for 15 seconds. Ground pork must reach 155°F for 17 seconds.
Pass your food manager exam on the first try
- All 171 questions on foodborne illness, hygiene, storage, cooking and cooling, cleaning and HACCP
- An explanation for every answer, with its source, usually the FDA Food Code section
- Unlimited full 80-question practice exams across all six areas