Cooling Foods Quickly (2277)

Inadequate, slow cooling has been shown to be the cause of food poisoning on many occasions. The bacteria that cause food poisoning thrive at temperatures between 140 degrees and 40 degrees Fahrenheit. When cooked foods cool slowly either at room temperature or in a refrigerator, bacteria can increase to dangerously high numbers. Then when we consume the food, we may become ill. Some of the food poisoning bacteria produce toxins that are not destroyed by subsequent heating, so an improperly cooled food could be dangerous even if it was thoroughly reheated. The way to avoid these risks is to cool cooked foods quickly. Do not let them stand at room temperature to cool. The quicker the product cools, the less opportunity bacteria have to multiply. If you have a small amount of a cooked food, such as leftovers from a meal, refrigerate it immediately, using a shallow container.

Refrigerators are designed to compensate for the addition of a few temporarily hot foods without allowing other foods to warm up. Larger quantities of leftovers, like cooked turkeys or large roasts, should be separated into smaller pieces and refrigerated in a way that allows cold air to come in contact with the meat. When it is cold, you can stack, wrap or cover it tightly. If you are going to freeze it, do so immediately. Cooked meat and poultry products should be used within a couple of days. Do not taste any leftovers that have been kept too long.

Cool large amounts of soup, stew or gravy quickly by placing the pan of food in a sink of ice and water. Stir it occasionally to speed cooling. When it has cooled, transfer it to storage containers and refrigerate it. Smaller amounts of soups or stews can be placed in the refrigerator immediately and will cool quickly if shallow containers are used.

Whenever you are cooling a food, remember to try to get it to refrigerator temperatures within a two-hour period of time.

For more information on this subject, Please visit the College of Agricultural Sciences Publications Web site.

Feel free to forward, post or reprint any of the "Solutions" in their entirely, but please credit http://www.solutions.psu.edu/ as the original source of information, and please do not change the content.