Time & Temperature ControlQuestion 201 of 319
A pan of cooked rice was placed in the walk-in at 12:00 PM at 135°F. At 2:30 PM the cook checks and finds it is still 85°F. What must be done?
a.Reheat to 165°F and restart the entire cooling clock
b.Discard the rice — first cooling stage failed (135°F to 70°F was not reached within 2 hours)
c.Move it to the freezer to finish stage one
d.Continue cooling, since the second stage allows 4 more hours from 85°F
Explanation
The two-hour drop from 135°F to 70°F is the critical limit. At 2:30 PM (2.5 hours after starting) the rice should already be at 70°F or below; since it is still 85°F, the cooling has failed and the rice must be discarded. The food cannot be salvaged by reheating once a cooling step is missed.
Law Reference: Cal. H&S Code §114002(b)This topic, taught in full in the Food Handler Card guide. Food Handler Card — Complete Study Guide (2026) — PDF + EPUB, $9.99 · 14-day refund →
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