Question

What is the longest amount of time a food handler can take to cool food from 135°F (57°C) to 41°F (5°C) and have it remain safe?

a) 2 hours
b) 4 hours
c) 6 hours
d) 8 hours

Answer 1

The longest time a food handler can safely take to cool food from 135°F to 41°F is 6 hours, with the process occurring in two stages.

Step-by-step explanation:

The longest amount of time a food handler can take to cool food from 135°F (57°C) to 41°F (5°C) and have it remain safe is 6 hours. More specifically, the food must be cooled from 135°F to 70°F (21°C) within two hours and then from 70°F to 41°F (5°C) within an additional four hours, totaling six hours.

This is because bacteria tend to multiply rapidly at temperatures between 40°F (4°C) and 140°F (60°C), what is known as the danger zone. Perishable foods left in the danger zone for more than two hours can become unsafe due to rapid bacterial growth.