Final answer:
Leaving a pot of beef stew to cool overnight on the stove is an example of Improper cooling, which can lead to foodborne illness by allowing bacteria to grow to dangerous levels.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a large pot of beef stew is left on top of the stove overnight before being placed in the cooler, this is an example of Improper cooling. Improper cooling can lead to foodborne illnesses because it allows bacteria to grow to potentially dangerous levels if food is not cooled to a safe temperature in a timely manner. It is important to cool food rapidly to prevent microbial growth, often by putting hot food into an ice water bath before refrigerating. This is different from cross-contamination, which occurs when microbes are transferred from one food to another, often via shared surfaces or utensils. Handling by an infected person refers to contamination that occurs when someone who is sick prepares or touches food, and physical contamination deals with foreign objects in the food, none of which are the case in this scenario.