Community Events, Churches & Halls (Australia): Safe Cold Storage for Fundraisers — FSANZ ≤5 °C, the 2-Hour/4-Hour Rule & Practical Set-Ups
Search intent: informational → commercial investigation. This guide helps volunteers and event organisers keep food safe at ≤ 5 °C, apply the 2-hour/4-hour rule correctly, organise simple transport and hire/borrow refrigeration, and document what inspectors want to see — without slowing down the sausage sizzle or the cake stall.
- Cold-holding for potentially hazardous food (PHF): ≤ 5 °C; hot-holding: ≥ 60 °C.[1]
- When food leaves control, the 2-hour/4-hour rule applies cumulatively between 5–60 °C: 0–2 h refrigerate/use; 2–4 h use immediately; >4 h discard.[2]
- Cooling cooked foods: 60 °C → ≤ 21 °C within 2 h, then ≤ 5 °C within 4 h — log times/temps.[3]
- Fundraising events: Standard 3.2.2A generally does not apply to food prepared solely for raising funds; follow FSANZ temperature controls anyway and keep basic logs.[4]
Who this is for (and what “good” looks like)
- Church/community volunteers — need a simple, safe way to keep milk, deli meats, salads and desserts cold before/through service.
- Hall managers & event leads — want a repeatable set-up, easy training, and a one-page log for accountability.
- Local sports clubs & P&Cs — want minimal equipment, quick clean-down, and evidence-ready records if Council asks.
FSANZ rules in plain language
Cold-holding & hot-holding
Keep PHF at ≤ 5 °C (cold) or ≥ 60 °C (hot) from receiving through display and service. Probe the warmest shelf product — usually top/front — rather than reading only the fridge’s air sensor.[1]
The 2-hour/4-hour rule (time as a control)
When items leave temperature control — loading the table, assembling sandwiches, serving milk — use the 2/4 rule: 0–2 h refrigerate or serve; 2–4 h serve immediately; >4 h discard. Time is cumulative across prep, transport and display.[2]
Cooling cooked food
For cooked PHF (e.g., bakes, curries), cool 60 → ≤ 21 °C within 2 h, then to ≤ 5 °C within 4 h. Use shallow pans and avoid stacking hot trays in the fridge. Log the times/temps.[3]
When 3.2.2A does or doesn’t apply
Food safety management tools under Standard 3.2.2A generally don’t apply when food is prepared/served solely to raise funds for charity or community. That said, FSANZ temperature rules still protect your attendees — use our simple logs and you’ll be fine.[4]
Event-day cold storage that “just works”
Option A — Borrow/hire a single upright storage fridge
One commercial upright fridge near the serve area covers milk, salads and desserts. Keep vents clear and don’t block the evaporator with crates.
Option B — Glass-door for visibility
If volunteers or attendees self-serve drinks, a glass-door upright reduces door-open linger time and helps keep ≤ 5 °C on the top shelf.
Portable coolers & transport (Esky basics)
- Pre-chill food and the cooler. Use solid ice bricks (less water mess than loose ice).
- Pack from coldest to warmest; keep a thermometer in the centre of the load.
- Minimise lid openings; move items to the event fridge on arrival.
One-page event flow (stick this to the fridge)
1) Prep & pack
Chill to ≤ 5 °C; label containers; pre-freeze ice bricks; print the log sheet.
2) Transport
Load last; keep lids closed; note departure time/temp on the log.
3) Set-up
Fridge on a level spot, clear rear/side vents, out of sun; power on 30–60 min before loading.
4) Service
Start a timer for any item leaving control; use shallow pans; rotate stock.
5) Check
Probe the warmest shelf item every service window; record temps and any action.
6) Pack-down
Discard anything >4 h out of control; clean and dry containers; file the log.
Two practical tables you’ll actually use
Time/temperature event log (A4)
| Item | Start temp (°C) | Leaves control (time) | Back in control / served (time) | Total time out (hh:mm) | Action | Initials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milk 2 L | ≤ 5 | 10:30 | 11:15 | 0:45 | Return to fridge | AB |
| Chicken wraps tray | ≤ 5 | 12:00 | 13:50 | 1:50 | Serve now | CD |
| Fruit salad bowl | ≤ 5 | 12:10 | 16:30 | 4:20 | Discard | EF |
Rule of thumb: 0–2 h refrigerate or serve; 2–4 h serve; >4 h discard. The time is cumulative across prep + transport + display.[2]
Ice-brick planning (conservative guide)
| Cooler size | Ambient (°C) | Load type | Ice bricks (typical 800–1000 g) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 L | 22–28 | Dairy & salads | 3–4 | Pre-chill contents; limit openings |
| 45 L | 28–34 | Mixed PHF | 5–6 | Add a thermometer; swap bricks at lunch |
| 60–75 L | 34–40 | Mixed PHF | 7–9 | Consider a powered fridge at site |
This estimate assumes pre-chilled loads and sealed coolers. Always probe actual product temperatures.
Case study: “Saturday fundraiser with zero waste”
A church hall runs a Saturday bake-and-lunch fundraiser. Volunteers transport salads and wraps in coolers and serve milk/soft drinks from an upright glass-door fridge near the counter.
Problems
- Coolers opened too often; salads warming near 2 h threshold.
- Fridge in a sunny alcove; top shelf hit 7–8 °C at noon.
- No time/temperature log; uncertainty about what to discard.
Fix
- Pre-stage a glass-door upright out of direct sun; keep vents clear; switch on early.
- Run the 2/4-rule with timer labels; move plated items back into control within 90 min windows.
- Assign one “cooler captain”; consolidate openings; add ice-brick swap at 12:30.
Outcome (method-based)
- Top-shelf probes ≤ 5 °C through peak; no warm-milk complaints.
- Zero discard for wraps/salads (all served ≤ 2 h cumulative out of control).
- Clean log sheet ready if Council requests records.
Helpful product categories (internal links)
Front-of-house drinks
Back-of-house storage
Talk to our team
FAQ — straight answers for volunteers
1) What temperature should the event fridge hold?
≤ 5 °C for PHF (and ≥ 60 °C for hot-holding). Probe a sample item on the top/front shelf during service.[1]
2) Can we leave sandwiches out on the table?
Yes — but track cumulative time with the 2-hour/4-hour rule: 0–2 h refrigerate or serve; 2–4 h serve; >4 h discard.[2]
3) Do we need the full 3.2.2A paperwork?
For fundraising only, 3.2.2A generally doesn’t apply. Still follow FSANZ temperature rules and keep a simple log — it protects your guests and simplifies any questions later.[4]
4) What’s the safest way to move food in coolers?
Pre-chill everything, use solid ice bricks, minimise openings, and move items into the event fridge on arrival. Keep a probe thermometer inside the cooler load.
5) Our hall’s fridge is “domestic”. Is that OK?
Domestic fridges can struggle in warm ambients and constant door-open cycles. If possible, borrow or hire a commercial upright or glass-door unit positioned out of sun with clear ventilation.
Free “Event-Ready Cold Storage” plan for your hall
Send photos of your servery and power points, plus your event timeline. We’ll reply with a mini-plan: where to place an upright glass-door or upright storage fridge, a time/temperature log you can print, and an ice-brick schedule that fits your menu.
Official sources (footnotes)
- FSANZ — “Keeping food at the right temperature” (PHF ≤ 5 °C or ≥ 60 °C). foodstandards.gov.au
- FSANZ — “2-hour/4-hour rule” (time as a control; cumulative). foodstandards.gov.au
- FSANZ — “Cooling and reheating food” (60 → ≤ 21 °C ≤ 2 h; ≤ 5 °C ≤ 4 h). foodstandards.gov.au
- FSANZ — Food safety management tools (Standard 3.2.2A) — overview & scope notes (fundraising contexts). foodstandards.gov.au
Last updated: . This page focuses on Australian conditions; always probe product temperatures and keep simple event logs.
