According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, most bacteria thrive at temperatures between 60
o and 125
oF. The growth of microorganisms will be prolific unless other precautionary steps, such as marinating, have been taken to make the food unfavorable to bacterial growth.
It is important to note that we use the phrase "most bacteria". There exist certain cryophilic (cold-loving) bacteria and other microorganisms that can do nicely at temperatures below 60
oF. Likewise, our world has thermophilic (heat-loving) microorganisms that flourish at temperatures above 125
oF. For these reasons, more cautious experts place the danger zone between 40
o and 140
oF - and some expand the temperature range even further.
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Asian Recipes **
