Quiz Show - Is roux made from pork fat a TCS food or shelf stable?

March 31

The term 'TCS' is often used to refer to food requiring temperature or time control for food safety and seven-day date marking. So let the games begin and test your knowledge.

This is roux made from a house-rendered bacon fat. Is it OK to be on the shelf in the kitchen (70F), not in the walk-in cooler?

Yes, it is OK on the kitchen shelf.

Bacon and sausage grease is not potentially hazardous and can be left out at room temperature. The fat will not allow bacteria to grow because of low water activity (amount).

Any water in the fat will sink to the bottom and the fat will stay at the top. Any meat particles in the fat will be too dry to support bacterial growth. Meat fats do not become rancid as fast as butter. Even if rancid, no toxic effects will occur until it becomes very rancid--at which point the taste would eliminate concern about consumption of the product.