Cooling Food Safety:
Keep Food Out of the Danger Zone
Cooling food the right way helps stop bacteria from growing. Bacteria grow fast in the "Danger Zone" - between 41°F and 135°F. To keep food safe, cool it quickly.
Why It’s Important:
Bacteria grow quickly in warm food
Cooling food the wrong way can make people sick
Safe cooling protects your customers and your business
How to Cool Food Safely:
Test your cooling process to make sure if works
Keep cooling logs to help monitor temperatures
Write down successful cooling procedures so others can repeat them
Cool food quickly
Move food through the danger zone according to the Food Code rules
Helpful Tips:
Cool food in portions less than 3 inches deep
Use metal pans - chill them first if you can
Let air move around the food - don’t cover or stack containers
Use ice wands and ice baths together
Add more ice as it melts
Thick foods like chili or roasts take longer to cool
Use more than one method to cool them safely