2.2 Cooking & Reheating Standards

Cooking and reheating

Cooking is a controlled kill step. The current Qatar MOPH Food Safety Code publishes equivalent time-temperature combinations for high-risk products such as poultry, liver and minced meat: 65°C for 15 minutes, 70°C for 3 minutes, or 75°C for 30 seconds. A single shorthand such as “75°C” can be useful for recall, but the official combinations show that both temperature and holding time matter.

Check the core of the food with a clean, disinfected and suitable probe. Test a representative thick or slow-heating portion, avoid touching the pan or bone when that would distort the reading, and repeat the check if the result is doubtful. Visual colour, clear juices or cooking time alone do not prove that the critical limit was reached. Record the result when required by the food-safety system and take corrective action if it falls short, such as continuing cooking and checking again when it remains safe to do so.

Previously cooked food intended for hot service should be reheated rapidly to at least 75°C and should be reheated only once. Slow warming through the danger zone gives microorganisms time to multiply. A bain-marie or other hot-holding unit is designed to maintain already-hot food, not to reheat cold food safely. After reheating, transfer the food to suitable service or holding conditions without unnecessary delay.

Keep raw and ready-to-eat workflows separate throughout preparation. A correct temperature does not excuse contamination after cooking: use clean utensils, containers and surfaces, and prevent contact with raw ingredients. In exam scenarios, choose the complete control—verified time and temperature, clean probe, prompt corrective action and protection after the kill step—rather than relying on appearance or habit.