To solve the question "What is the maximum cold-holding temperature allowed for sliced watermelon?", follow these steps:
1. Understand the Context: When dealing with perishable food items like sliced watermelon, food safety regulations typically outline specific temperature limits to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. It's important to know the safe temperature range for storing such items.
2. Identify the Temperature Options: The question provides four temperature options:
- a. [tex]$32^{\circ} F \left(0^{\circ} C \right)$[/tex]
- b. [tex]$38^{\circ} F \left(3^{\circ} C \right)$[/tex]
- c. [tex]$41^{\circ} F \left(5^{\circ} C \right)$[/tex]
- d. [tex]$45^{\circ} F \left(7^{\circ} C \right)$[/tex]
3. Select the Maximum Cold-Holding Temperature: From food safety guidelines, the maximum temperature that sliced watermelon can be safely stored at is important to know. Among the given options, you need to find the one that meets the safety standards by preventing bacterial growth while still preserving the food quality.
4. Choose the Correct Answer: Based on food safety regulations, the maximum cold-holding temperature typically allowed for perishable items like sliced watermelon is [tex]$41^{\circ}F \left(5^{\circ}C \right)$[/tex]. This ensures the balance between significantly slowing down bacterial growth and maintaining the quality of the watermelon.
Therefore, the correct answer is:
- c. [tex]$41^{\circ} F \left(5^{\circ} C \right)$[/tex]
