How many hours do foods need to cool from 60°C to 4°C?

To ensure food safety, it is crucial to cool foods from a temperature of 60°C (which is often the temperature at which hot foods are held) down to 4°C as quickly as possible to minimize the growth of harmful bacteria. The Canada Food Guidelines recommend that foods should be cooled from 60°C to 20°C within two hours, and then from 20°C to 4°C can take an additional four hours.

This means that the total cooling process from 60°C to 4°C should not exceed a total of six hours to remain in compliance with health and safety guidelines. Therefore, the correct answer, which indicates a cooling period of six hours, ensures that food remains safe for consumption and decreases the risk of foodborne illness.

Understanding this cooling process is essential in food safety management because proper cooling is one of the critical steps in controlling the growth of pathogens that can lead to food poisoning.