Final answer:
Foods must cool to 70 degrees F within 2 hours, and then from 70 degrees F to 41 degrees F in an additional 4 hours according to the Time and Temperature Monitored method.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the Time and Temperature Monitored method for cooling foods, the food must cool to 70 degrees F within 2 hours, and from 70 degrees F to 41 degrees F in an additional 4 hours. This two-stage cooling process ensures rapid cooling to prevent bacterial growth. Failure to maintain the proper cooling times and temperatures can result in food becoming dangerous to consume due to the rapid multiplication of microorganisms.
It is critical for food safety to keep perishable foods out of the so-called 'danger zone', which ranges between 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F. Foods that remain within this temperature range for more than two hours may become unsafe to eat due to rapid bacterial growth. Thus, the Time and Temperature Monitored method is designed to quickly bring foods past this zone to safer temperatures where bacterial proliferation is inhibited.