At the cooling critical control point, cooked food must drop from 140°F to 70°F within:
a.Five hours
b.Two hours
c.Six hours
d.Four hours
Explanation
The first cooling stage requires food to cool from 140°F to 70°F within two hours, the riskiest part of cooling. The remaining drop to 41°F is allowed four more hours, for six hours total.
Law Reference: NYC Health Code Article 81This topic, taught in full in the NYC Food Protection Certificate guide. NYC Food Protection Certificate — Complete Study Guide (2026) — PDF + EPUB, $14.99 · 14-day refund →
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