High School

To prevent C. perfringens, you should do all except which of the following?

A) Cook meat thoroughly to an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees F.
B) Refrigerate leftovers immediately and reheat to at least 165 degrees F before serving.
C) Serve meat dishes immediately after cooking.
D) Keep food at a temperature between 109 degrees F to 117 degrees F after cooking.

Answer :

Final answer:

To prevent C. perfringens, you should not keep food at a temperature between 109 degrees F to 117 degrees F after cooking, as it's too low for safe storage and can promote bacterial growth. The correct answer is option d) Keep food at a temperature between 109 degrees F to 117 degrees F after cooking.

Explanation:

To prevent Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) food poisoning, you should do all the following except keep food at a temperature between 109 degrees F to 117 degrees F after cooking. This range is too low for safe food storage and can encourage bacterial growth.

The option you should not follow to prevent C. perfringens is: d) Keep food at a temperature between 109 degrees F to 117 degrees F after cooking.

Safe food handling practices are vital in preventing foodborne illnesses caused by bacteria such as C. perfringens. To ensure food safety, meats should be cooked to a safe internal temperature—145°F for whole meats and 160°F to 165°F for ground meats and poultry. Using a food thermometer is the most reliable method to check if the meat has reached a safe temperature. After cooking, it is crucial to keep hot foods above 140°F using food warmers. Leftovers should be refrigerated promptly at temperatures below 40°F and reheated to at least 165°F before serving to avoid bacterial growth and food poisoning.