An example of TCS food is a bowl of cooked rice.

• A. Raw carrots
• B. Bowl of cooked rice
• C. Milk
• D. Frozen peas

Answer: (B)

Time/temperature control for safety foods are those that can become unsafe if not kept out of the danger zone. Cooked rice is a classic example because, after cooking, any Bacillus cereus spores that survived can grow rapidly if the rice is left at room temperature. As these bacteria multiply, they can produce toxins, and reheating won’t always destroy those toxins. That’s why cooked rice must be cooled quickly, stored at 41°F (5°C) or below, and reheated to 165°F (74°C) before serving.

Raw carrots and frozen peas aren’t typically treated as TCS foods in their ordinary forms, since they don’t readily support rapid bacterial growth in typical storage conditions. Milk is perishable and requires cold storage, but cooked rice is the most illustrative example of a TCS item among these options because of the specific risk of toxin formation if it’s mishandled after cooking.