Guide · updated November 2026
Cooling cooked food: the 2-stage rule
Cooked potentially hazardous food must cool from 60°C to 21°C within 2 hours, then from 21°C to 5°C within a further 4 hours.
Methods that work
- Shallow trays (no deeper than about 5 cm)
- Divide large batches
- Ice baths and stirring
- Blast chillers
- Never leave large pots to cool overnight on the bench
Log it
Record the time the food hit 60°C, the temperature at 2 hours (21°C or below), and at 6 hours (5°C or below).
| What | Limit |
|---|---|
| Cold storage and display | 5°C or colder |
| Hot holding and display | 60°C or hotter |
| Cooling cooked food (stage 1) | 60°C → 21°C within 2 hours |
| Cooling cooked food (stage 2) | 21°C → 5°C within a further 4 hours |
| Reheating to hot hold | Rapidly to 60°C or hotter (ideally within 2 hours) |
| Cooking (good practice) | Core temperature of 75°C or hotter (check with a probe) |
| Frozen food | Frozen hard (commonly −15°C or colder) |
Sources: FSANZ: Standard 3.2.2A overview · FSANZ: Evidence tool (record templates) · FSANZ: Cooling and reheating food · Queensland Government: Standard 3.2.2A · WA Health: Food safety management tools
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Check my category Build my logbooksMore: Standard 3.2.2A record keeping: what to record · The 2-hour/4-hour rule · Fridge temperature logs that pass inspection · Food Safety Supervisor requirements · Category one vs category two: which are you? · Cleaning and sanitising records · Allergen matrix for your menu · Inspection-day checklist for food businesses