Food Cooling Temperature Check: How to Complete This Food Safety Check

Why food cooling temperature checks matter

When hot food cools, it passes through the "danger zone" between 63°C and 8°C. In this range, bacteria multiply rapidly, potentially doubling every 20 minutes. The longer food stays in this zone, the more bacteria can grow.

Proper cooking kills most bacteria, but their spores can survive. As food cools, these spores germinate and start multiplying. Some bacteria, like Clostridium perfringens, produce toxins as they multiply. These toxins are not destroyed by reheating, so even if you reheat the food properly, it can still cause illness.

This is why speed is essential. The goal is to move food through the danger zone as quickly as possible, limiting the time bacteria have to grow.

Legal requirements

Food safety law requires you to cool food as quickly as possible if it will be stored and served later. While specific time limits vary by jurisdiction, UK guidance recommends cooling food from 63°C to 8°C within 90 minutes.

Environmental Health Officers look for evidence that you understand and control your cooling process. Temperature records showing start and end temperatures, along with the cooling method used, demonstrate effective control.

Target temperatures and times

The 90-minute rule

UK guidance states that food should be cooled from above 63°C to below 8°C within 90 minutes. This limits the time food spends in the danger zone to a level where bacterial growth is not significant.

Two-stage cooling method

An alternative approach, common in US guidance, breaks cooling into two stages:

• Stage 1: 63°C to 21°C within 2 hours
• Stage 2: 21°C to 5°C within 4 hours
• Total time: 6 hours maximum

This method acknowledges that the highest risk is in the warmest part of the danger zone, where bacteria grow fastest. Getting food quickly below 21°C is the priority.

Both methods are valid. Choose the one that best fits your operation and record your cooling accordingly.

Temperature targets

When to complete this check

Every cooling event

Complete a cooling check whenever you:

• Cool cooked food for storage (to be used the next day)
• Cool food for chilled service (salads, sandwich fillings, etc.)
• Prepare food in advance for events or catering
• Cool large batches of sauce, soup, or stew
• Cool rice, pasta, or other starchy foods

What needs monitoring

The following foods are highest risk during cooling:

• Large volumes of liquid (soups, stocks, sauces)
• Dense foods (joints of meat, whole poultry)
• Rice and pasta (Bacillus cereus risk)
• Rolled or stuffed meats
• Dishes containing multiple ingredients

Small portions that cool quickly (individual portions, thin slices) may not need individual monitoring, but you should have verified that your cooling method works for these items.

How to complete the check

Step 1: Record the food item and cooling method

Write what you are cooling and how you are cooling it. For example, "Beef casserole - blast chiller" or "Chicken stock - ice bath then fridge".

This information is important because:

• It identifies the food if problems occur later
• It documents your cooling method for due diligence
• It helps you compare different methods for effectiveness

Step 2: Record the starting temperature

Take the core temperature of the food immediately after cooking, before starting the cooling process. This confirms the food was properly cooked and establishes your starting point.

For liquids, stir before testing to get an accurate reading. For solid items, check the thickest part.

Step 3: Begin cooling using your chosen method

Start your cooling method immediately after cooking. Do not leave food sitting at room temperature while you finish other tasks. The clock starts ticking as soon as cooking stops.

Step 4: Record the ending temperature

Check the core temperature when cooling is complete. For the 90-minute method, this should be within 90 minutes of starting. The temperature should be below 8°C, ideally below 5°C.

For liquids, stir and check multiple points. For solid foods, check the thickest part, which cools last.

Step 5: Transfer to cold storage

Once cooled, transfer food immediately to refrigerated storage. Label with the date and use within your standard shelf life (typically 3-5 days for cooked, cooled food).

Cooling methods

Blast chiller

A blast chiller is the most effective cooling method. It uses forced cold air to rapidly reduce temperature.

Advantages:

• Very fast (can cool in 30-60 minutes)
• Consistent results
• Minimal food handling

Best for:

• All types of cooked food
• Large volumes
• Dense items

Ice bath

An ice bath involves placing containers of hot food in a larger container of ice and water.

Advantages:

• No special equipment needed
• Effective for liquids
• Can be improvised anywhere

How to do it:

1. Place the food container in a larger container
2. Fill the gap with ice and cold water
3. Stir the food regularly to distribute heat
4. Replace ice as it melts

Best for:

• Soups, sauces, and stocks
• Small to medium volumes
• Kitchens without blast chillers

Shallow containers

Dividing food into shallow containers (ideally no more than 50mm deep) increases surface area and speeds cooling.

Advantages:

• Works with standard fridges
• Simple to implement
• Good for large batches

How to do it:

1. Divide the batch into shallow containers
2. Spread food evenly, no more than 50mm deep
3. Leave uncovered until cool (to prevent condensation)
4. Cover once cooled

Best for:

• Casseroles, stews, and braised dishes
• When blast chiller is unavailable
• Bulk preparation

Ice paddles and cooling wands

Ice paddles are containers filled with water and frozen. Stirring hot liquids with the paddle cools them rapidly.

Advantages:

• Fast cooling for liquids
• Reusable
• No dilution (unlike adding ice)

Best for:

• Soups and sauces
• Stocks
• Any stirrable liquid

Combination methods

Often the fastest cooling uses multiple methods:

1. Start with an ice bath while the blast chiller becomes available
2. Transfer to blast chiller for final cooling
3. Move to fridge storage once below 8°C

What to do when cooling takes too long

Cooling exceeds 90 minutes but food reaches 8°C

If food takes longer than 90 minutes but eventually reaches safe temperature:

1. Assess the risk - How long was it in the danger zone? What type of food?
2. Consider the use - Will it be reheated thoroughly before service?
3. Make a decision - For low-risk foods that will be fully reheated, continued use may be acceptable. For high-risk foods or those served cold, discard.
4. Document the decision - Record what happened and what you decided.

Cooling is clearly failing

If food is cooling very slowly (still above 20°C after 2 hours):

1. Speed up the method - Add more ice, move to blast chiller, divide into smaller portions
2. If improvement is not possible - Discard the food
3. Investigate why - Too large a batch? Equipment failure? Wrong method?

When to discard

Discard food if:

• It has been above 8°C for more than 4 hours total (including cooking and cooling)
• Cooling has clearly failed and cannot be corrected
• You have any doubt about safety

The cost of discarding food is always less than the cost of a food poisoning outbreak.

Common mistakes to avoid

Putting hot food in the fridge

Placing large quantities of hot food directly in a standard fridge:

• Raises the fridge temperature, affecting other stored food
• Creates condensation, which can drip onto other items
• Cools very slowly because fridge capacity is limited

Use a blast chiller or pre-cool using other methods before fridge storage.

Deep containers

Food in a deep container cools from the outside in. The centre stays hot much longer than the edges. Using containers more than 50mm deep significantly increases cooling time.

Covering food too soon

Covering hot food traps heat and slows cooling. Leave food uncovered or loosely covered until it is below 8°C, then cover for storage.

Stacking containers

Stacking containers of cooling food prevents air circulation around each container, dramatically slowing cooling. Allow space around each container.

Forgetting to stir

Liquids develop temperature layers, with hot liquid staying in the centre and cooler liquid at the edges. Stirring regularly distributes heat and speeds cooling.

Leaving food to "cool down a bit" before dealing with it

Every minute at room temperature counts. Start active cooling immediately after cooking. Leaving food on the counter "for a while" adds unnecessary time in the danger zone.

Rice and pasta

Rice and pasta deserve special attention because they carry specific risks.

Bacillus cereus

Bacillus cereus is a bacterium found in soil that commonly contaminates rice and pasta. Its spores survive cooking and germinate as food cools. The bacteria produce toxins that cause vomiting and diarrhoea.

These toxins are not destroyed by reheating, so even properly reheated rice or pasta can cause illness if it was not cooled correctly.

Cooling rice

• Cool within 1 hour (faster than other foods)
• Spread in thin layers to maximise surface area
• Refrigerate as soon as it stops steaming
• Use within 24 hours

Cooling pasta

• Similar principles to rice
• Rinse with cold water to speed cooling
• Toss with a little oil to prevent sticking
• Refrigerate promptly

Summary

Food cooling checks protect against one of the most common causes of food poisoning. By recording start and end temperatures, you prove that your cooling process works and that food does not spend excessive time in the danger zone.

Remember:

• Cool from 63°C to 8°C within 90 minutes
• Record start and end temperatures
• Use active cooling methods, not passive cooling
• Never put large quantities of hot food directly in the fridge
• When in doubt, throw it out