How to Store and Display Cut Fruits and

Vegetables
To assist food businesses, this fact sheet
outlines two options for selling cut fruits
and vegetables
Fruits or vegetables that are cut or processed (including
peeled, juiced, blended) are to be stored under
temperature control (meaning 5°C or below, or 60°C or
above). This prevents harmful food poisoning bacteria
from multiplying to dangerous levels in the food.
Foods are not always able to be refrigerated, for
example, halved melons at a market or cut fruit for taste
testing. The Food Safety Standards allow for foods to be
stored at room temperature when supported by a written
method (food businesses may use this fact sheet as their
written method) that outlines how food will be monitored
and kept safe.
How do I store cut fruits and vegetables at
room temperature?
Use the 2-hour/4-hour rule
The 2-hour/4-hour (2/4 hour) rule details how long certain
food (including cut fruits and vegetables) can be stored
between 5°C and 60°C. Timeframes listed below must
be the total time food is out of temperature control:
 Under two hours – food must be used or placed
back under temperature control (5ºC or less or
60ºC or greater).
 Two to four hours – food must be used
immediately – it cannot be re-refrigerated.
 Four plus hours - food must be discarded – it
may have harmful levels of bacteria.
Example – a fruit shop or market stall cut watermelons
into quarters at 6:30am for sale. As soon as the
watermelon is cut, the person wraps plastic film over the
exposed watermelon and writes the discard time of
10:30am on the skin or the plastic film. Staff monitor
times on all cut watermelons and dispose the item when
the discard time has been reached.
Important reminder: Wash fruits and
vegetables before cutting
When cutting fruits and vegetables it is important to first
wash the outside of the produce to remove any soils,
harmful bacteria, chemicals and other contaminants that
may be harmful if consumed. By washing the produce,
you will prevent the knife from transferring these
contaminants into the food e.g. washing the skin of
watermelons to remove dirt before cutting the fruit.
Reminder: Once fruit and vegetables are cut, they are
considered potentially hazardous foods and require a
food business licence under the Food Act 2006.
The law: Under the Food Act 2006, Council is legally
required to enforce these standards. Council can issue a
statutory notice, prescribed infringement notice (fine) or
prosecute if a business does not operate in compliance
with the Food Safety Standards. The Standards can be
obtained by contacting the Food Standards Australia
New Zealand (FSANZ) on (02) 6271 2222 or the FSANZ
website on www.foodstandards.gov.au.

Staff must regularly monitor cut fruits and vegetables and

throw away items that reach the discard time. A
secondary check should be conducted at the point of
sale to ensure no food is sold outside the four hour time
limit. The same method must be used for items displayed
for self-serve taste testing.

For more information, contact Redland City Council, PO Box 21, Cleveland QLD 4163.
Telephone (07) 3829 8999 or visit our website www.redland.qld.gov.au. FS231 – 11/11/2019