• It is used after cooking or hot holding. 
• Cooked food that stays in the refrigerator until it is served must be cooled as quickly as possible. 
• Cooling may be done in two stages: 
  • From 60^oC (140^oF) down to 20^oC (68^oF) or colder within two hours 
  • Then, from 20^oC (68^oF) down to 40^oC (40^oF) or colder within four hours for a total time of six hours.  
• Examples: Soups, roasts, casseroles

This is the only exception to leaving food in the Temperature Danger Zone for more than four hours.