The shelf life of most items on the steam table is:

The shelf life of most items on the steam table is typically understood to be 4 hours. This is based on food safety guidelines that dictate how long cooked food can be held at certain temperatures before it may no longer be safe to serve. When food is kept on a steam table, it should be held at a proper temperature to maintain safety, and the 4-hour mark is the standard time frame during which the food can remain at that temperature without significant risk of bacterial growth. After this time, food should be discarded to ensure customer safety and uphold health regulations.