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HomeHealth and Safety CodeDiv. 104Pt. 7Ch. 4Art. 2§ 114000 Food Time Control Limits

§ 114000 Food Time Control Limits

Health and Safety Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 114000 Food Time Control Limits

Key Takeaways

  • •Food that can go bad (like meat or dairy) can be kept out of the fridge for up to 4 hours before it must be cooked, served, or thrown away.
  • •You must label the food with the time it was taken out of the fridge, so you know when the 4 hours are up.
  • •If the food isn’t labeled or is kept out for more than 4 hours, you have to throw it away.
  • •Raw eggs can’t be kept out using this 4-hour rule in schools or hospitals—they always need to stay cold.

Example

A restaurant takes out a bowl of chicken salad at 12:00 PM to serve at a buffet.

They must label the bowl with the time it should be thrown away, which is 4:00 PM. If it’s not eaten or put back in the fridge by then, they have to toss it.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 114000 Food Time Control Limits

(a) Except as specified in subdivision (b), if time only, rather than time in conjunction with temperature, is used as the public health control for a working supply of potentially hazardous food before cooking or for ready-to-eat potentially hazardous food that is displayed or held for service for immediate consumption, the following shall occur: (1) The food shall be marked or otherwise identified to indicate the time that is four hours past the point in time when the food is removed from temperature control. (2) The food shall be cooked and served, served if ready-to-eat, or discarded within four hours from the point in time when the food is removed from temperature control. (3) The food in unmarked containers or packages or marked to exceed a four-hour limit shall be discarded. (4) Written procedures shall be maintained in the food facility and made available to the enforcement agency upon request, that ensure compliance with this section and Section 114002, for food that is prepared, cooked, and refrigerated before time is used as a public health control. (b) Time only, rather than time in conjunction with temperature, may not be used as the public health control for raw eggs in the following food facilities: (1) Licensed health care facilities. (2) Public and private school cafeterias. (Amended by Stats. 2007, Ch. 96, Sec. 24. Effective July 20, 2007.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

complianceenforcementschoolhazardoushealthlicenseconjunctioneffective july

Related Statutes

  • § 100703 Forensic Science Review Committee
  • § 1574 Local Health Department Delegation
  • § 106615 Environmental Health Specialist Definitions
  • § 114065 Self-Service Beverage Dispensing Rules
  • § 114091 Food Pasteurization Requirements

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Health and Safety Code. Section 114000.
View Official Source