STORAGE IN COOLERS AND FREEZERS 
United States Virgin Islands 
Department of Health 
Division of Environmental Health 
https://doh.vi.gov/programs/environmental-health 
Store foods according to the minimum internal cooking temperature 
Ready-to-eat Foods 
Cooked foods, salads, cheese, fruit and 
vegetables, desserts, cheese desserts 
Raw Animal Foods: Cook to 145°F or 
above for 15 seconds  
Fish, shellfish, seafood, shell eggs, whole 
muscle intact beef or pork 
Raw Animal Foods: Cook to 155°F or 
above for 17 seconds  
Pooled eggs, ground meats, injected or 
tenderized meats 
Raw Animal Foods: Cook to 165°F or 
above for <1 second (instantaneous) 
Poultry, stuffed fish, stuffed meat, stuffed 
pasta, stuffing containing meat 
Refrigerators must maintain a 
temperature of 41°F or below.  
Freezers must maintain a 
temperature of 0°F or below. 
Foods that are cooling (uncovered or 
loosely covered) Cool hot foods form   
135°F to 41°F within 6 hours AND 135°F to 
70°F within 2 hours.