How should cooked food be cooled before storage?

To ensure food safety and prevent the growth of harmful bacteria, cooked food should ideally be cooled to room temperature before being refrigerated, with a guideline that this should occur within two hours. This practice slows down the temperature at which bacteria can thrive, typically between the range of 40°F to 140°F, known as the "danger zone."

Allowing food to cool for a brief period at room temperature before refrigerating helps to reach a safe storing temperature more effectively without compromising food quality. If food is placed directly in the refrigerator while still hot, it can raise the overall temperature inside the refrigerator, potentially affecting other stored items and increasing food safety risks.

While immersing food in ice water is an effective method for rapid cooling, it’s not typically the first step for home cooks or in all situations, making the second option a more commonly accepted practice for general use in food handling.