When you prepare large amounts of food you need to pay special attention to cooling it because the larger the amount of food, the longer it takes to cool. When you prepare large amounts of food you need to pay special attention to cooling it because the larger the amount of food, the longer it takes to cool. Small is better The best way to cool large amounts of food is to divide it into smaller containers and cool it in the refrigerator or freezer.
Shallow containers are best for quick cooling.
Large, deep containers prevent food from cooling rapidly, especially the part of the food in the center. Even in a refrigerator, the temperature at the center of a large amount of food may stay warm enough for bacteria to grow, multiply, and in some cases, produce toxins or poisons. There are several bacteria which cause food poisoning. All grow well on moist, protein-rich foods when they are exposed to temperatures between 45 and 140 Fahrenheit. These protein-rich foods include meats, poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs and milk.