If lasagna is removed from the oven at 11:00 a.m. and placed on the buffet without temperature control, by what time must it be served or discarded?

The correct time for serving or discarding the lasagna is determined by food safety guidelines regarding how long potentially hazardous foods can be held without temperature control. When lasagna is taken out of the oven and placed on a buffet without maintaining a safe temperature (either above 135°F for hot foods or below 41°F for cold foods), it becomes susceptible to bacteria growth.

According to food safety regulations, cooked food that is not held at the appropriate temperatures should ideally be served or discarded within a maximum of four hours. Since the lasagna is removed from the oven at 11:00 a.m., it must either be served or discarded by 3:00 p.m. This timeframe ensures that the food stays within a safe period in which the risk of foodborne illness is minimized, as the longer food remains at unsafe temperatures, the greater the risk of bacterial growth that can lead to foodborne illnesses.

The other options do not adhere to this four-hour guideline, either allowing too little or too much time for the safe serving or disposal of the food.