Time as a Public Health Control

A Potentially Hazardous Food is one that requires time or temperature control to limit disease-causing bacteria and viruses from making people ill.
Examples of PHF

• An animal food that is raw or heat-treated
• A plant food that is heat-treated (e.g., open can of green beans)
• Raw seed sprouts
• Cut melons
• Cut leafy greens (e.g., lettuces, spinach, and cabbage)
• Does not include herbs such as cilantro or parsley
• Cut tomatoes
• Garlic-in-oil mixtures

Cold holding temperatures of 41°F and below or hot holding temperatures of 135°F and above (also known as temperature control) limit the growth of organisms that cause food borne illnesses in potentially hazardous foods (PHF). However, a PHF may be held without temperature control for a short period of time using time as a public health control (TPHC). View full guidelines for Time as a Public Health Control.