6.3 Cooling and Reheating Food

Critical Fact: Improper cooling is one of the leading causes of foodborne illness outbreaks. Cooling food too slowly allows bacteria that survived cooking to multiply to dangerous levels.

Reheating food improperly also creates risk, especially if food doesn't reach the temperature needed to kill pathogens that grew during storage.

The Two-Stage Cooling Method

The FDA Food Code requires TCS foods to be cooled using a two-stage method designed to move food through the danger zone as quickly as possible.

⏱️ The Two-Stage Cooling Requirements:

Stage 1: 135°F → 70°F in 2 hours or less

• Critical stage - Most bacteria multiply fastest in this range
• Food must pass through this range in 2 hours maximum
• This is where most cooling violations occur

Stage 2: 70°F → 41°F in 4 hours or less

• Additional 4 hours to reach safe refrigeration temperature
• Slower bacterial growth in this cooler range
• Must reach 41°F or below at end of stage 2

⏰ Total Cooling Time: 6 Hours Maximum

(2 hours for Stage 1 + 4 hours for Stage 2 = 6 hours total)

For the Exam: The most common question is "How long does food have to cool from 135°F to 70°F?" Answer: 2 hours. Many students confuse this with the 4-hour rule for prep time.

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Visual: Two-Stage Cooling Timeline

Start: 135°F (Hot Food Removed from Heat)
    ↓
    | STAGE 1: 2 HOURS MAXIMUM
    | (Most Critical Period)
    ↓
Checkpoint: 70°F (Must reach within 2 hours)
    ↓
    | STAGE 2: 4 HOURS MAXIMUM
    | (Continuing to cool)
    ↓
End: 41°F or below (Total time: 6 hours max)

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Example Cooling Scenarios

✅ CORRECT Cooling:

• 2:00 PM: Hot soup removed from heat at 135°F
• 4:00 PM: Soup cooled to 70°F (2 hours - PASS Stage 1)
• 8:00 PM: Soup reaches 41°F (4 more hours - PASS Stage 2)
• Result: SAFE - Total 6 hours

❌ VIOLATION - Stage 1 Failed:

• 2:00 PM: Hot chicken removed from heat at 135°F
• 5:00 PM: Chicken still at 80°F (3 hours - FAIL Stage 1)
• Result: DISCARD REQUIRED - Did not reach 70°F within 2 hours

❌ VIOLATION - Stage 2 Failed:

• 1:00 PM: Rice removed from heat at 135°F
• 3:00 PM: Rice at 70°F (2 hours - PASS Stage 1)
• 8:30 PM: Rice at 50°F (5.5 hours for Stage 2 - FAIL)
• Result: DISCARD REQUIRED - Did not reach 41°F within 4 hours after reaching 70°F

✅ CORRECT - Faster Than Required:

• 10:00 AM: Gravy removed from heat at 135°F
• 11:30 AM: Gravy at 70°F (1.5 hours - PASS Stage 1)
• 1:30 PM: Gravy at 41°F (2 hours for Stage 2)
• Result: SAFE - Faster is always better

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What to Do If Food Doesn't Cool in Time

If Stage 1 is exceeded (not 70°F within 2 hours):

• DISCARD the food immediately
• Document the incident
• Identify why cooling failed
• Retrain staff on proper cooling methods

If Stage 2 is exceeded (not 41°F within 4 hours after reaching 70°F):

• DISCARD the food immediately
• Never attempt to "save" food by quick-cooling at this point
• Bacteria may have already multiplied to unsafe levels

Why you can't save it: Even if you rapidly cool the food afterward, bacteria that multiplied during slow cooling have already produced heat-resistant toxins (like Staph aureus toxin) that won't be destroyed by reheating.

For the Exam: If food doesn't meet cooling time requirements, the ONLY correct action is to discard it. You cannot reheat it to make it safe.

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Approved Cooling Methods

To meet the two-stage cooling requirements, you need to cool food actively, not just place it in the refrigerator.

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Best Practices for Rapid Cooling

1. Use Shallow Pans

• Maximum 2 inches deep (some jurisdictions require 4 inches or less, but 2 inches is best practice)
• More surface area = faster cooling
• Stainless steel pans conduct heat better than plastic

2. Use Ice Baths

• Fill large container or sink with ice and water
• Place food container in ice bath
• Stir food frequently to distribute cold throughout
• Add more ice as it melts

3. Stir Frequently

• Stirring releases heat and distributes cold
• Stir soups and liquids every 10-15 minutes during cooling
• Use clean, sanitized utensil for stirring

4. Leave Food Uncovered

• Covers trap heat and slow cooling
• Cover loosely if needed to prevent contamination
• Fully cover only after food reaches 41°F

5. Use Blast Chiller (If Available)

• Commercial blast chillers can cool food in 90 minutes or less
• Follow manufacturer's instructions
• Most effective method for high-volume operations

6. Avoid Overcrowding Refrigerator

• Leave space between containers for air circulation
• Don't place hot food directly next to cold food
• Ensure refrigerator can maintain 41°F or below even when cooling hot food

7. Monitor With Thermometer

• Check temperature at 1-hour mark (should be progressing toward 70°F)
• Check again at 2-hour mark (must be 70°F or below)
• Check at 6-hour mark (must be 41°F or below)

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Common Cooling Mistakes

❌ Placing hot food directly in walk-in cooler without active cooling

• Problem: Large containers cool too slowly; may raise cooler temperature
• Solution: Use ice baths or shallow pans before refrigerating

❌ Using deep containers (more than 2 inches)

• Problem: Center of food stays hot while edges cool
• Solution: Use shallow pans (2 inches or less)

❌ Covering food tightly while cooling

• Problem: Traps heat inside container
• Solution: Leave uncovered or cover loosely until 41°F

❌ Not monitoring cooling progress

• Problem: Don't know if cooling is on track until it's too late
• Solution: Check temperature at 1, 2, and 6-hour marks

❌ Placing large stockpots in refrigerator

• Problem: Can take 24+ hours to cool safely
• Solution: Divide into smaller portions or use ice bath first

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Reheating Food Safely

Critical Rule: All TCS food being reheated for hot holding must reach 165°F for 15 seconds within 2 hours.

When Reheating Is Required:

Must reheat to 165°F for 15 seconds:

• Leftover TCS foods being placed on hot-holding equipment
• Previously cooked soups, sauces, gravies
• Casseroles and combination dishes
• Rice, beans, pasta with sauce

Does NOT require reheating:

• Foods that will be served immediately (can reheat to any temperature for immediate service)
• Foods being sold cold (deli meats, cold salads)

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Approved Reheating Methods

For the Exam: Hot-holding equipment (steam tables, warming trays, slow cookers) is NEVER acceptable for reheating food. These devices are designed to hold food at temperature, not rapidly heat it.

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Reheating Procedures

Step-by-Step Reheating:

1. Remove food from refrigerator (41°F or below)

2. Reheat rapidly using stovetop, oven, or microwave

   • Must reach 165°F within 2 hours
   • Check temperature in multiple spots

3. Check internal temperature with thermometer

   • Must reach 165°F for 15 seconds
   • Check thickest part or center of food

4. Hold at 135°F or above if not serving immediately

   • Transfer to hot-holding equipment only AFTER reaching 165°F

5. Discard if not reheated properly

   • If food doesn't reach 165°F within 2 hours, discard

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Reheating in the Microwave - Special Rules

When reheating in the microwave, follow these steps:

1. Cover food to retain moisture and heat
2. Heat to 165°F (higher than other methods)
3. Rotate or stir midway through heating
4. Let stand 2 minutes after heating to allow heat distribution
5. Check temperature in multiple spots

Why 165°F? Microwaves heat unevenly, creating hot and cold spots. The 2-minute standing time allows heat to equalize.

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Commercially Processed Ready-to-Eat Foods

Foods in intact, sealed packages from commercial food processors (like hot dogs in factory-sealed packages) can be reheated to 135°F for hot holding, rather than 165°F.

Requirements:

• Package must be unopened and intact
• Food must be from commercial processor (not made in-house)
• Examples: canned soup, hot dogs in package, vacuum-sealed meals

If package is opened:

• Must reheat to 165°F like any other leftover

For the Exam: This is a minor exception. Most reheating questions will focus on the standard 165°F requirement.

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Time Limits for Reheating

The 2-Hour Rule: Food must reach 165°F within 2 hours of being removed from refrigeration.

If food doesn't reach 165°F within 2 hours:

• Discard the food
• Do not continue reheating
• Do not serve

Why 2 hours? Bacteria begin multiplying as soon as food enters the danger zone. Two hours is the maximum time before bacteria can reach dangerous levels.

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Cooling and Reheating Log

Best practice: Maintain a cooling and reheating log that documents:

For Cooling:

• Date and time food was removed from heat
• Initial temperature (should be 135°F or above)
• Temperature at 2-hour mark (should be 70°F or below)
• Temperature at 6-hour mark (should be 41°F or below)
• Cooling method used
• Staff initials

For Reheating:

• Date and time food removed from refrigerator
• Final temperature reached
• Time required to reach 165°F
• Reheating method used
• Staff initials

Why document?

• Proves compliance during health inspections
• Identifies trends if cooling failures occur
• Training tool for staff
• Legal protection if illness occurs