A TCS food is any food that needs Time/Temperature Control for Safety to keep it from growing harmful bacteria and causing foodborne illness.

What TCS means

  • TCS stands for time and temperature control for safety and replaces the older term “potentially hazardous food (PHF)” in modern food codes.
  • These foods usually have moisture, protein or carbohydrates, and a near‑neutral pH, which together let bacteria multiply quickly if not kept cold or hot enough.

Common TCS food examples

Typical TCS foods include:

  • Meat, poultry, and meat products (raw or cooked).
  • Fish and shellfish.
  • Milk and most dairy products (cheese, yogurt, cream).
  • Eggs (shell eggs, pooled eggs, egg dishes).
  • Cooked rice, pasta, beans, and other cooked grains or vegetables.
  • Cut leafy greens (like chopped lettuce or spinach).
  • Cut melons and cut tomatoes.
  • Garlic-in-oil or similar mixtures.
  • Tofu, soy products, and other protein‑rich plant foods.

Non‑TCS foods (for contrast)

  • Many dry, low‑moisture foods such as plain bread, crackers, or raw, uncut whole produce are usually not TCS because they don’t support rapid bacterial growth.
  • However, once you add perishable fillings or cut produce (for example, a cream‑filled pastry or sliced melon), the food can become TCS and must be temperature controlled.

Simple way to remember

A food is likely a TCS food if:

  • It is moist.
  • It contains protein or starch.
  • It is not very acidic.
  • It is something you’d normally refrigerate or keep hot in a restaurant to keep it safe.

Bottom line: Among typical options like crackers, raw whole apples, cooked chicken, and sliced melon, the cooked chicken and sliced melon would be TCS foods because they must be kept out of the “danger zone” to stay safe.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.