Critical5 pointsFood Temperature & Time (TCS)

02I — PHF not cooled from ambient temperature within 4 hours

This covers food assembled from ambient ingredients (or taken out of the cooler to prep) that then has to be chilled down — like mixing a big batch of chicken salad on the counter. It must reach 41°F within 4 hours, using a real cooling method, or bacteria get a head start. The inspector probes the batch and checks how long it has been out. If the 4-hour window was exceeded, discard it.

What the inspector looks for

Probe cold dishes built from room-temperature ingredients (tuna salad, cut melon, cooked-then-cooled pasta). They must reach 41°F within 4 hours of being made. Sitting warm on the counter or pulled from holding = flag it.

Points & grade impact

Cited at 5 points — 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 across condition I-IV. NYC adds every cited violation’s points into one inspection score: 0–13 = A, 14–27 = B, 28+ = C.

How to fix it

Rapidly cool to 41°F using shallow pans and an ice bath if still within limits; discard if the 4-hour limit was exceeded.

How to prevent it

Prepare cold items in small batches; pre-chill ingredients; monitor and log cooling time and temperature.

✓Prep cold items in small batches and pre-chill the ingredients before you combine them.
✓Cool down into shallow pans over an ice bath rather than a deep bus tub.
✓Monitor and log the time and temperature until the batch hits 41°F.
✓Do not leave prep sitting at room temperature between steps — keep it moving toward the cooler.

Reference: Health Code §81.09(e)(2)

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