Once a food is heated or cooked, the food must be maintained at a temperature to kill or limit the growth of pathogens (disease-causing organisms). The correct hot holding temperature is 135°F or above. Time and temperature control for safety (TCS) foods (aka potentially hazardous foods or PHF) that have been cooked and cooled must be reheated within 2 hours to at least 165°F for 15 seconds before hot holding (see Reheating Foods).

Once a food is cooked, pathogens are reduced, so it is important to keep the food hot enough to kill or inhibit the growth of pathogens.