A large pot of beef stew is placed into an ice-water bath after service. After 2 hours, a probe thermometer reads 75°F (24°C). What should the person in charge do?

A large pot of beef stew is placed into an

Multiple choice — select the best answer

APortion the stew into smaller containers and refrigerate for up to 2 more hours
BReheat the stew to 165°F and then restart the cooling process
CContinue cooling in the refrigerator — the remaining 4-hour window still applies
DDiscard the stew because the 2-hour cooling milestone of 70°F was not met

✓ Correct answer: D. Discard the stew because the 2-hour cooling milestone of 70°F was not met FDA Food Code requires food to cool from 135°F to 70°F within the first 2 hours; if 70°F is not reached within that window, the food has failed the first stage of the two-stage cooling requirement and must be discarded.

.q-expl{display:block!important}.q-opt[data-idx="3"]{border-color:#16a34a;background:#f0fdf4}.q-opt[data-idx="3"] .oltr{background:#16a34a;color:#fff}.q-opt{cursor:default!important;pointer-events:none}

Keep practising. Use the free Food Manager PDF, watch the YouTube walkthrough, or unlock all 10 web questions with timed mock exams.

Free PDF Video walkthrough

← Previous Next → 🎲 Random question ↩ Back to all questions

Keep practising

A large pot of beef stew is placed into an ice-water bath after service. After 2 hours, a probe thermometer reads 75°F (24°C). What should the person in charge do?

Related questions

Free practice here. Timed mocks when you are ready.