During a 12-hour power outage, the temperature of the freezer reached $55^{\circ}F$ ($13^{\circ}C$), and all...

An extended power outage is considered animminent health hazard. During such an event, the manager’s primary responsibility is to ensure that TCS foods do not remain in the Temperature Danger Zone ($41^{\circ}F$ to $135^{\circ}F$) for a dangerous amount of time. If frozen food has thawed and reached a temperature of $55^{\circ}F$, it has spent several hours in the range where bacteria multiply rapidly. According to ServSafe and FDA Food Code guidelines, any TCS food that has been above $41^{\circ}F$ for more thanfour hoursmust be discarded.

In this scenario, since the temperature is $55^{\circ}F$ and the outage lasted 12 hours, the food is clearly compromised. The correct action is todiscard any TCS itemsthat have exceeded the safety threshold. Non-TCS items (like bread or plain vegetables) might be salvageable if they are not damaged by moisture, but proteins, dairy, and cooked grains are unsafe. Refreezing thawed food (Option D) is dangerous because the freezing process does not kill the bacteria that grew during the thaw. Serving the food after cooking (Option A) is also unsafe if heat-stable toxins have already been produced by bacteria likeStaphylococcus aureus. Managers should document the loss for insurance and regulatory purposes and ensure the freezer is cleaned and sanitized before being restocked. This is a critical example of "taking corrective action" during a facility emergency.