WSU Thurston County
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Thurston County Extension
Food Safety: Food Borne Illness
There’s a right way to cool those leftovers
The Olympian, November 25, 1998
According to the Food and Drug Administration, food that is not cooled fast enough is the No. 1 cause of foodborne illness. When perishable foods are left in the "danger zone" (40°F – 140°F), disease causing bacteria can grow and multiply very, very rapidly. The importance of rapidly cooling food to 40°F or colder is often overlooked as evidenced by the FDA surveillance study.
QUESTION: What are the steps for adequately cooling foods?
ANSWER: These guidelines for cooling solid and soft foods are from the Washington State Department of Health:
Wash your hands.
Before you put away any food, place it in a shallow pan or container for cooling. If the food depth is more than 4 inches thick, place it in multiple containers. Thick foods like refried beans or chowder take even longer to cool and need to be in containers where the food depth is no more than 2 inches thick for quick cooling.
Cut large roasts and turkeys into smaller pieces for cooling.
Put all meats and other hot food in the refrigerator as quickly as possible. Avoid letting the food sit at room temperature for more than 30 minutes.
Avoid stacking containers of hot food. Leave space for air circulation in your refrigerator.
Wait until the food has cooled to below 45°F before you cover it.
QUESTION: I like to make clam chowder several gallons at a time. Usually, I just put the stockpot in the refrigerator for cooling. I’ve noticed it stays warm for a long time. Is this safe?
ANSWER: No. If you want to leave the chowder in the stockpot for cooling, here’s the best way to cool the soup. Always begin by washing your hands. Then close the drain in one of your kitchen sinks and place the stockpot in the sink. Next, fill the sink with ice up to the level of soup in the pot. Add cold water to the ice and begin stirring the soup so it cools all the way to the center. Add more ice as needed. Finally, use a metal stem thermometer to check the temperature. This method is an excellent way to cool soups and other liquids without placing them immediately in the refrigerator.
QUESTION: We usually cook our holiday turkey early in the day and leave it on the kitchen counter for serving and for eating leftovers later in the day. We’ve never been sick.
ANSWER: Congratulations. You may want to consider purchasing a lottery ticket! You’ve been fortunate, but each time you fail to cool food rapidly you have a significant risk of getting a foodborne illness. This is especially true if perishable foods such as turkey are left in the "danger zone" (40°F – 140°F) for more than 2 hours. The longer the time without refrigeration, the greater the risk of illness. After you roast the turkey, you have two safe choices. First, serve the turkey immediately and cool the leftovers. Or, second, cut and de-bone the turkey and cool quickly by placing small amounts of turkey in shallow pans and placing in the refrigerator or freezer. Then reheat the turkey when you’re ready to serve.
QUESTION: How long can we safely keep leftovers?
ANSWER: Assuming that you cooled the food rapidly and appropriately and your refrigerator temperature is 40°F or below, here are the guidelines from the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline:
Cooked Turkey can be stored for 3 to 4 days
Stuffing and Gravy can be stored for 1 to 2 days
Other Cooked Dishes can be stored for 3 to 4 days.
B. Susie Craig
Area Faculty
WSU Cooperative Extension Thurston County
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WSU Extension programs and employment are available to all without discrimination. Evidence of noncompliance may be reported through your local Extension Office. Cooperating agencies: Washington State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the county of Thurston.
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Last updated January 23, 2001