Cooling food too slowly can help bacteria multiply and cause food poisoning.Food that has just been cooked, or taken out of the oven to cool should not be left out to long

Do not put hot food straight from the oven or stove into the refrigerator, cool room or freezer, because it can cause the temperature inside to rise.

The rule is that food must cool from 60ºC to 21ºC in the first two (2) hours, and then to 5ºC in the next four (4) hours. Once it has cooled to 21ºC it should be put in the refrigerator

It takes longer to cool large portions of food, so it is usually better to divide large portions into small batches before cooling

Food that is not cooled quickly enough can allow bacteria to multiply

Cover and label with the type of food and the time and date before placing it into the cool room, refrigerator or freezer