Temperature control

Where each pathogen can grow

Extreme limits reported in the literature, with other conditions favourable. They may not apply to your food or process. Source: FDA Hazards Guide Appendix 4, Table A-1.

Limiting conditions for growth

Organism	Min aw	Min pH	Max pH	Min °C	Max °C	Oxygen
Bacillus cereus	0.92	4.3	9.3	4	55	Facultative
Campylobacter jejuni	0.987	4.9	9.5	30	45	Microaerophile
C. botulinum, proteolytic	0.935	4.6	9	10	48	Anaerobe
C. botulinum, non-proteolytic	0.97	5	9	3.3	45	Anaerobe
Clostridium perfringens	0.93	5	9	10	52	Anaerobe
Pathogenic E. coli	0.95	4	10	6.5	49.4	Facultative
Listeria monocytogenes	0.92	4.4	9.4	-0.4	45	Facultative
Salmonella spp.	0.94	3.7	9.5	5.2	46.2	Facultative
Shigella spp.	0.96	4.8	9.3	6.1	47.1	Facultative
Staphylococcus aureus, growth	0.83	4	10	7	50	Facultative
S. aureus, toxin formation	0.85	4	9.8	10	48	Facultative
Vibrio parahaemolyticus	0.94	4.8	11	5	45.3	Facultative
Yersinia enterocolitica	0.945	4.2	10	-1.3	42	Facultative

Source: FDA Hazards Guide Appendix 4, Table A-1. Facultative organisms grow with or without oxygen.

Maximum cumulative exposure

Bacillus cereus4 to 6 °C5 days7 to 15 °C1 day16 to 21 °C6 hoursAbove 21 °C3 hours

Clostridium perfringens10 to 12 °C21 days13 to 14 °C1 day15 to 21 °C6 hours*Above 21 °C2 hours

Listeria monocytogenes−0.4 to 5 °C7 days6 to 10 °C1 day11 to 21 °C7 hours22 to 30 °C3 hoursAbove 30 °C1 hour

Salmonella species5.2 to 10 °C2 days11 to 21 °C5 hoursAbove 21 °C2 hours

Staphylococcus aureus7 to 10 °C14 days11 to 21 °C12 hours*Above 21 °C3 hours

FDA guidance written for fish and fishery products, shown here as a worked example of how time and temperature combine. * See the source's footnotes. Source: FDA Hazards Guide Appendix 4, Table A-2.

Reference temperatures

Values from Codex CXC 39-1993, a code for mass catering. Your own law or plan may set different ones.