Proper Cooling of Food and Leftovers

Proper cooling of foods and leftovers is vital to preventing an incident of foodborne illness within your establishment and among your staff, customers, and beyond. Follow the guidelines below when cooling foods to minimize this risk. If food is not properly cooled, heat resistant bacteria can grow. These bacteria survive being reheated and can cause foodborne illness.

Method for Cooling Food

Food should be cooled from 135 degrees F. to 70 degrees F. within 2 hours, and then from 70 degrees F. to 41 degrees F. or lower in the next 4 hours.

Foods can be cold in any of the following ways:

Placing food in shallow, metal pans, in ice baths, under refrigeration.
Separating food into smaller containers under refrigeration.
Place food in ice water baths and stir regularly.
Stir food with an ice paddle.
Using rapid cooling equipment such as a blast chiller or a tumble chiller.

Cooling in a shallow pan:

Fill pan two inches deep or less.
Keep food uncovered while cooling.
Keep two inches of space around the pan.

Resources

Proper Cooling Time and Temperature (PDF)

Why It's Important to Cool Food Properly

English | Spanish | Chinese | Additional Languages