Cooling
When you cool food, you are going back down through the danger zone. Therefore, you should follow these rules:
- Cold food should be kept at 4°C (40°F) or colder
- Check the temperature of cold food every two hours
Food needs to be cooled as quickly as possible; the faster the food is cooled, the less time it spends in the danger zone.
If a food is allowed to cool slowly, any microorganisms that were not killed during cooking (e.g. spores) or that are reintroduced to the food after cooking will have the opportunity to grow.
Do not put hot foods directly into a refrigerator to cool. This practice does not allow the foods to cool quickly enough and may increase the air temperature in the refrigerator, jeopardizing the safety of any other potentially hazardous foods. Use one or more of the following techniques to rapidly cool food before putting it in the refrigerator.
To cool food quickly and safe use the appropriate cooling method.