What is the FDA's two-stage cooling process for TCS foods?

What is the FDA's two-stage cooling process for TCS foods?

• A. Cool from 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours; then from 70°F to 41°F within 4 more hours
• B. Cool from 135°C to 100°C within 30 minutes
• C. Cool from 212°F to 100°F within 1 hour
• D. Cool from 70°F to 40°F within 3 hours

Answer: (A)

Cooling TCS foods is all about moving them through the danger zone quickly in two stages. The first stage drops the temperature from 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours, then the second stage continues cooling from 70°F to 41°F (or lower) within the next 4 hours. This keeps the total cooling time at 6 hours and limits the time food spends between 41°F and 135°F, where bacteria can grow rapidly. The other options don’t fit because they use the wrong temperature scales, target temperatures, or timeframes that don’t align with this two-stage requirement.

Cooling TCS foods is all about moving them through the danger zone quickly in two stages. The first stage drops the temperature from 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours, then the second stage continues cooling from 70°F to 41°F (or lower) within the next 4 hours. This keeps the total cooling time at 6 hours and limits the time food spends between 41°F and 135°F, where bacteria can grow rapidly. The other options don’t fit because they use the wrong temperature scales, target temperatures, or timeframes that don’t align with this two-stage requirement.