What must be done to food served at a buffet?

Food served at a buffet must be kept at safe temperatures, and serving utensils must be used to ensure food safety. Maintaining food at safe temperatures is crucial to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. For hot foods, this means keeping them at or above 135 degrees Fahrenheit, and for cold foods, at or below 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Using serving utensils helps prevent cross-contamination by minimizing direct hand contact with the food, which can introduce pathogens and allergens.

The other options do not align with safe food handling practices. Keeping food at room temperature is unsafe as it allows harmful bacteria to multiply. Discarding food after one hour is not a standard practice; food can typically be kept longer if it is maintained at the required safe temperatures. Lastly, heating food to a minimum of 200 degrees Fahrenheit is unnecessary for buffet service, as it could compromise the quality and palatability of the food while also not aligning with safe serving practices.