Public Health Hazard7 pointsFood Temperature & Time (TCS)

02J — Reduced-oxygen-packaged (ROP) foods not properly cooled

Reduced-oxygen packaging (vacuum-sealed, sous-vide, cook-chill bags) removes air, which is exactly what dangerous anaerobic bacteria like to grow in if the food is not cooled fast. Because the risk is higher, ROP cooling must follow your Department-approved HACCP plan and be tracked closely. The inspector checks that ROP foods are cooling on the approved schedule with continuous time/temperature control. Out-of-limit ROP food must be discarded. This is a public health hazard (7+ points).

What the inspector looks for

For reduced-oxygen / vacuum-sealed (ROP) items you cook and cool, check them against your HACCP plan's cooling rule. Sealed bags cooling slowly in a deep pile = flag it.

Points & grade impact

Cited at 7 points — 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 across condition I-IV; uncorrected PHH → 28. 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 ROP foods by an approved method if within limits; discard if cooling limits were exceeded.

How to prevent it

Follow your approved ROP/HACCP plan for cooling; monitor with continuous time/temperature controls.

✓Follow your approved ROP/HACCP plan exactly for cooling times and temperatures — do not improvise.
✓Use continuous time/temperature monitoring and keep the logs with the plan.
✓Cool ROP product in a single layer or shallow arrangement so the cold reaches the center quickly.
✓If you do not have an approved HACCP plan, do not run an ROP process at all.

Reference: Health Code §81.12(d)(4)

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