What is the danger zone?

• A. The range of temperatures at which most bacteria multiply rapidly: between 5 and 63°C.
• B. The range from -20°C to -10°C.
• C. The range above 100°C.
• D. The range from 20°C to 40°C.

Answer: (A)

The danger zone is the temperature range where bacteria multiply rapidly in food. In many food-safety guidelines, this range is from about 5°C up to 63°C. Within these temperatures, microorganisms can grow quickly enough to cause illness if food is left there too long, so foods should be kept out of this zone whenever possible or minimized in time spent there.

Why the other options don’t fit: freezing temperatures (-20 to -10°C) slow or halt bacterial growth, not encourage it; temperatures above 100°C are hot enough to kill most bacteria; and the 20°C to 40°C span is inside the danger zone but doesn’t cover the full upper limit, which is why it isn’t the standard definition.