Manual of Naval Preventive Medicine
Chapter 1: Food Service Sanitation
Section VI: Sanitary Precautions to be Observed When Preparing and Serving Food

1-41. Special Meals.

Department of the Navy
Bureau of Medicine and Surgery

1. The 4 hour maximum time permitted for holding potentially hazardous foods at temperatures between 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F is of particular importance in the case of special meals (boat meals, flight meals, and recreation parties). When preparing and using sandwich fillings containing meat, meat products, poultry, fish or eggs, it is essential that close galley supervision and liaison with using units be maintained to ensure continuous refrigeration. In the event proper refrigeration cannot be maintained and the 4 hour rule is likely to be exceeded, unopened cans of meat, chicken or tuna may be issued along with bread and butter to permit members to prepare their own sandwiches. All types of flight rations however, must be carefully packaged to preclude the risk of contamination and exposure during transit from galley to plane. Further information on special feeding conditions (such as battle meals) and subsistence operations in case of nuclear biological or chemical warfare may be found in NAVSUP PUB 421.