Proper Food Cooling

Food cooling needs to occur for hot foods that won’t be immediately served, or hot held for later service. Cooling is the process of quickly
reducing the temperature of food from 135° F to 41° F. Food must cool from 135° F to 70° F in two hours, and cool from 70°F to 41°F or
below in the subsequent four hours. Food that fails to properly cool in these time frames or fails to use an approved method of cooling must be
discarded.

What is required: use one of the below pre-approved methods when cooling food. Any alternative methods for cooling food must be reviewed
and approved by CCPH.

Ice bath or ice wand method

This method requires frequent stirring, use of a
thermometer, and ice at least as high as the
food height. A cooling log is required for each
food cooled.

Shallow pan uncovered method

Food must be no deeper than 2 inches and TWO
cooled in an approved refrigeration unit INCHES
(typically a walk-in; cooling is never allowed in
an under-counter refrigeration unit).

CLARK COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH For other formats, contact the Clark County
www.clark.wa.gov/public-health/food-safety ADA Office voice 564.397.2322 relay 711
1601 E Fourth Plain Blvd., Bldg. 17, Vancouver WA or 800.833.6388 fax 564.397.6165
564.397.8428 email ada@clark.wa.gov
Reviewed: 03/2022
Revised: 03/2022
 Please provide details for EACH FOOD ITEM that your facility intends to cool.

FOOD COOLING
COOLING METHOD COOLING LOCATION
FOOD ITEM QUANTITY/VOLUME FREQUENCY
(SEE HANDOUT) (REFRIGERATION UNIT AND SHELF)
EXAMPLE: EXAMPLE: EXAMPLE: EXAMPLE: EXAMPLE:
“Soup” “Ice bath/ice wand” “Counter using tub of ice” “8-quart pot of soup” “Once a week”
EXAMPLES:
EXAMPLE: EXAMPLE: “Top shelf of walk-in cooler” EXAMPLE: EXAMPLE:
“Tamales” “2-inch cooling, uncovered” If no walk-in cooler: “Top shelf of 2-door “2 pans” “3 times/week”
True upright reach-in”

Reviewed: 3/14/22
Revised: 3/14/22
 FOOD COOLING
COOLING METHOD COOLING LOCATION
FOOD ITEM QUANTITY/VOLUME FREQUENCY
(SEE HANDOUT) (REFRIGERATION UNIT AND SHELF)

Reviewed: 3/14/22
Revised: 3/14/22
 FOOD COOLING
COOLING METHOD COOLING LOCATION
FOOD ITEM QUANTITY/VOLUME FREQUENCY
(SEE HANDOUT) (REFRIGERATION UNIT AND SHELF)

Reviewed: 3/14/22
Revised: 3/14/22