what is the food service danger zone for pathogens
Danger zone (food safety) The temperature range in which food-borne bacteria can grow is known as the danger zone. Food safety agencies, such as the United States' Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), define the danger zone as roughly 4 to 60 °C (39 to 140 °F).[1][2][3] The FSIS stipulates that potentially hazardous food should not be stored at temperatures in this range in order to prevent foodborne illness (for example, a refrigerator's temperature must be kept below 4 °C (40 °F)[4]), and that food that remains in this zone for more than two hours should not be consumed.[5] Foodborne microorganisms grow much faster in the middle of the zone, at temperatures between 21 and 47 °C (70 and 117 °F).[6]
Salmonella Salmonella species are intracellular pathogens:[4] certain serotypes cause illness. Nontyphoidal serotypes can be transferred from animal-to-human and from human-to-human. They usually invade only the gastrointestinal tract and cause Salmonella food poisoning; symptoms resolve without antibiotics. However, in sub-Saharan Africa they can be invasive and cause paratyphoid fever, which requires immediate treatment with antibiotics. Typhoidal serotypes can only be transferred from human-to-human, and can cause Salmonella food poisoning, typhoid fever and paratyphoid fever.[5] Typhoid fever occurs when Salmonella invades the bloodstream—the typhoidal form; or in addition spreads throughout the body, invades organs, and secretes endotoxins—the septic form. This can lead to life-threatening hypovolemic shock and septic shock and requires intensive care including antibiotics.