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SAFE FOOD HANDLING-Food Safety Fact Sheet #9
“Cooling Cooked Foods Safely”
Background Information
Improper cooling of potentially hazardous foods is
a major cause of foodborne illness. Disease
causing bacteria grow best in the “temperature
danger zone” of 41ºF.-135ºF. When potentially
hazardous foods are improperly cooled, it provides
an ideal environment for bacteria to multiply.
Potentially hazardous foods must be cooled from
135ºF. (or final cooked temperature) to 70ºF.
within 2 hours. An additional 4 hours is allowed to
completely cool the product to 41ºF. The faster
foods pass through the “temperature danger zone”
as they are cooled, the better.
Key Concepts
Never allow food to set on the countertop (room
temperature) to cool.
Cool cooked food from:
• 135ºF. (or final cooked temperature) to
70ºF. within 2 hours (if food has not
reached 70°F., reheat food to 165° and
restart cooling process or discard food)
• 70ºF. to 41ºF. within another 4 hours (If
the proper temperature range is not
reached within these 4 hours the food
must be discarded.)
Cool cooked food using one of these methods:
• Split large amounts of food into smaller
portions or place in shallow containers.
• Stainless steel containers chill food faster
than glass or plastic containers.
• Place food containers in larger pans of ice
or in an ice bath within a food prep sink, stir
the food as it cools, then place the food in
shallow pans in the refrigerator. Solid food
should be placed in 4 inch pans no deeper
than 2 inches and liquid foods should be no
deeper than 3 inches.
• Use ice paddles/wands to stir food.
• Substitute ice as an ingredient after
cooking, if the food calls for water as an
ingredient.
• Place the food in a quick chill unit (blast
chiller), tumbler chiller, or cold-jacketed
kettle to cool.
• Cover food loosely until it is cooled,
allowing for air circulation, then cover
tightly before refrigerating it.
