How should food be cooled to ensure safety?

The correct approach for cooling food to ensure safety involves a two-stage process, which is clearly outlined in the first choice. When cooling cooked food, it is essential to decrease the temperature from 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours. This initial step helps to limit the time food spends in the temperature danger zone, where harmful bacteria can thrive. After reaching 70°F, the food must be cooled further to 41°F or lower within the following 4 hours. This two-tiered method effectively minimizes the risk of bacterial growth and ensures food safety.

The other choices do not adhere to the established guidelines as effectively. For instance, the second option mentions cooling from 140°F to 90°F within 1 hour, but it falls short in detailing the subsequent cooling requirements to reach a safe temperature. The third option indicates that food can be cooled from room temperature to refrigerated temperatures within 24 hours, which is overly permissive and does not adequately ensure safety during the critical first few hours. Lastly, the fourth option proposes a lengthy cooling process from 150°F to 100°F within 5 hours, which again does not follow the stricter safety standards required for rapid cooling to inhibit bacterial growth effectively. Understanding and applying the correct method