Two-stage cooling log, explained

Cooked food passes slowly through the temperature range where bacteria grow fastest if it's cooled in a deep pot or a closed cooler. The two-stage rule sets deadlines.

The rule — FDA Food Code 2022, 3-501.14(A)

Cooked TCS food shall be cooled:

1. within 2 hours from 135°F (57°C) to 70°F (21°C); and
2. within a total of 6 hours from 135°F (57°C) to 41°F (5°C) or less.

So if the first stage takes the full 2 hours, you have at most 4 more hours to reach 41°F. If you hit 70°F in 1 hour, the 6-hour total still applies from the start.

3-501.14(B): food prepared from ambient-temperature ingredients (such as reconstituted foods and canned tuna) must cool to 41°F or less within 4 hours.

How to log it

1. Record the time the food reaches 135°F on its way down (start time).
2. Take readings at least hourly — the 2-hour reading must be 70°F or below.
3. Keep logging until 41°F or below, within 6 hours of the start.
4. Note the method (ice bath, shallow pans, ice wand, blast chiller) — it helps you fix slow items.
5. Initial each reading.

Speeding it up

• Divide into shallow pans (often 2 inches deep or less); leave lids off or vented until cooled, if your local rules allow.
• Ice bath and stir; use ice wands.
• Cut large roasts into smaller portions.
• Use a blast chiller if you have one.

Missed a deadline?

Take the corrective action your health department requires. Commonly: if food is still above 70°F after 2 hours, reheat it to 165°F and restart cooling, or discard it; if it misses the 6-hour mark, discard. Confirm your local rule.

Check your times instantly with the free cooling time checker.

General information, not legal advice. Values cite the FDA Food Code 2022, a model code that states and counties adopt with changes. Check your local health department — its rules take priority.

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New guide: Hot Holding Temperature Log: 135°F Rule and How to Record It

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