Final answer:
Ready-to-eat TCS food must have a maximum storage duration of 5 days to ensure safety. It is crucial to maintain appropriate temperature control to prevent bacterial growth and potential foodborne illness.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer to the student's question about ready-to-eat timer/temp control for safety (TCS) food is that it must have a maximum storage duration of 5 days. Failure of temperature control in these types of foods can be extremely hazardous due to the environments that allow for the rapid multiplication of microorganisms.
It's essential to maintain the correct temperatures for long-term storage and short-term temperature stability to ensure food safety. Refrigerated foods should be kept at or below 4 degrees C (40 degrees F), and frozen foods should be stored below -18 degrees C (0 degrees F). These measures are vital to inhibiting bacterial growth. Furthermore, it's crucial to handle post-preparative stability properly by maintaining consistent and safe temperatures throughout the freeze-thaw cycle.
Foods that are ready to eat and fall under the TCS category are at risk if not stored correctly. They should not be left at temperatures between 4 and 60 degrees C (40 and 140 degrees F) for more than two hours.