Cooling Food Safely

Cooling is one of the most confusing topics for students, but it doesn’t have to be.  

The rule is simple: hot food must go from cooking temperature to 4°C or colder within 6 hours total.

Step 1: Cool food quickly from cooking temperature down to 20°C within 2 hours.

Step 2: Ensure the food cools the rest of the way down to 4°C or colder within the next 4 hours.

That’s it.  Two stages, six hours total.
For the exam, a concise, exam-ready statement is:

“Food must be cooled from cooking temperature to 20°C within 2 hours, and then to 4°C or colder within an additional 4 hours, for a total of 6 hours.”

Some ways to quickly cool cooked foods:

• Placing food in shallow pans to increase surface area

• Using an ice bath and stirring frequently

• Cutting large portions into smaller pieces before cooling

• Using an ice wand (for soups, sauces, liquids)

• Adding ice or cold water as an ingredient in foods like soups or stews

• Placing food in a blast chiller if available