Safe Food Duration Drops to 1 Hour at Temperatures Above 32 Degrees

TUGIS (Turkey Food Industry Employers' Union) has warned consumers about food safety as temperatures rise during summer months. Emphasizing that careful attention is needed at every stage of the food safety chain from production to consumption, TUGIS highlighted that the waiting time for perishable foods becomes critically short at temperatures above 32 degrees Celsius.

TUGIS Board Chairman Kaan Sidar stated that food safety is a shared responsibility that must be protected not only in production facilities but also during transport, storage, preparation and service processes, saying, "Food safety is a holistic process from production to consumption. As temperatures rise during summer months, greater attention and care must be shown at every link in this chain."

TUGIS Science Board Member Prof. Dr. Nevzat Artık noted that perishable foods should not be kept for more than one hour in environments above 32 degrees Celsius, stating, "The key element in ensuring food safety during summer months is proper management of time and temperature control."

The consumer's kitchen is the final link in the cold chain
TUGIS Board Chairman Kaan Sidar, noting that risks of microorganism growth increase during summer months particularly in meat, poultry, fish, seafood, milk and dairy products, eggs, cooked meals and refrigerated products, drew attention to the importance of maintaining the cold chain.

Sidar made the following assessment on the issue:
"The food industry operates in compliance with hygiene, quality and traceability standards across all processes from production facilities to storage and distribution. However, the safe journey of food does not end at the point of sale. Transport from store to home, proper storage conditions, preparation and service stages are all integral parts of food safety."

Sidar noted that TUGIS continues to closely monitor scientific developments and produce reliable information for the sector and society, stating, "With the contributions of our TUGIS Science Board, we aim to continue providing accurate information on food safety and contribute to raising consumer awareness."

Above 32 degrees, the critical time limit drops to one hour
TUGIS Science Board Member Prof. Dr. Nevzat Artık, noting that harmful microorganisms can multiply in hot weather without any visible change in appearance or smell of food, emphasized that not only the content of food but also the conditions and duration of storage are important.

Artık made the following assessments:
"Especially meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk products, cooked meals and cut fruits should not be left in warm environments for extended periods. When air temperature exceeds 32 degrees Celsius, one hour is a critical threshold for food safety. If this time is exceeded, perishable products should not be re-chilled and consumed."

Risk increases for food left in vehicles
Artık noted that the interiors of vehicles can reach high temperatures in a short time during summer months and said that food should not be left in vehicles for extended periods after shopping.

Artık stated, "Especially keeping refrigerated products in the vehicle after shopping can damage the cold chain. Food items received via package delivery that will not be consumed immediately should also be kept at appropriate temperatures for a short period."

Bad smell does not always indicate spoilage
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Artık, drawing attention to the fact that disease-causing bacteria such as Salmonella, Listeria and E. coli may not always be detected by smell, color or appearance changes, expressed that consumers should not rely solely on visual inspection.

Noting that cooked meals should not be left to cool for extended periods in large containers, Artık made the following recommendations:

"Leftover food should be divided into small, shallow containers and transferred to the refrigerator quickly. When reheating meals for consumption, not only the surface but the entire dish should be heated to adequate temperature. Foods where there is doubt about safe storage time should not be checked by tasting."

Reminding that children, the elderly, pregnant women and individuals with weakened immune systems can be more severely affected by foodborne infections, Artık noted that health facilities should be contacted if symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, vomiting, severe abdominal pain or fluid loss occur.

About TUGIS
TUGIS, one of the country's first employer unions, is also a founding member of the Confederation of Turkish Employer Associations (TISK). With leading Turkish food producers among its members, TUGIS has been working for more than half a century to advance the Turkish food industry and increase its competitive strength in international markets.

Operating since 1961, TUGIS continues its work as an innovative non-governmental organization that contributes to social dialogue, labor peace and sustainable development of the food industry.

With this revision, the main message of the bulletin ("1 hour is the critical limit at 32 degrees") was made more visible and the likelihood of media coverage was increased.