How long can chafing dishes or electric food warmers keep food safe?
Answer Hi Brad, If food is held above 135 degrees, it can be considered safe to consume forever. Food held at 135 degrees, however, does not get better, quality-wise, the longer it is held. But safety-wise if the food temperature remains above 135 continuously, the food is safe to eat, even if held for days. Chafing dishes fueled with sterno have a very difficult time keeping food above 135 for extended periods of time. They tend to heat unevenly causing hot spots in some areas of the food. I suggest you use chafing dishes for short (less than 2 hours) food service. I suggest you check the temperature of the food every 30 minutes to an hour to monitor the foods temperature. If it goes below 135 you need to remove the food from the chafing dish/food warmer and reheat rapidly to 165 degrees and then maintain at 135 degrees or above.
