How deep should shallow pans be for cooling hot food?

5 to 7 cm (2 to 3 inches) or less

Ontario Food Handler: Cooking, cooling and reheating

Minimum internal cooking temperatures for poultry, ground meat, pork, fish and food mixtures; the two-stage cooling rule (60 °C to 20 °C in 2 hours, then to 4 °C in 4 more); shallow pans and ice baths; reheating quickly to a safe temperature.

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Cooking, cooling and reheating · Question 1Score 0/0

Health Canada's safe temperature for a medium-rare beef steak is what?

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Study reference: Food Safety: A Guide for Ontario's Foodhandlers (MOHLTC, updated January 2017), Ch. 4 Time and Temperature — cooking, cooling, reheating; appendix safe cooking temperatures

All 30 questions in this test

Every question and its answer choices. The correct answers and explanations appear when you take the test above.

Health Canada's safe temperature for a medium-rare beef steak is what?
1. 55 °C (131 °F)
2. 71 °C (160 °F)
3. 63 °C (145 °F)
4. 82 °C (180 °F)
Stuffing cooked inside a turkey must reach what temperature?
1. 60 °C (140 °F)
2. 63 °C (145 °F)
3. 74 °C (165 °F)
4. 65 °C (149 °F)
A potato salad is made at room temperature (20 °C). How fast must it be cooled to 4 °C?
1. Within eight hours
2. Within two hours
3. Within 24 hours
4. Within four hours
How deep should shallow pans be for cooling hot food?
1. 5 to 7 cm (2 to 3 inches) or less
2. Any depth if covered
3. At least 30 cm (12 inches)
4. 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 inches)
A baked salmon fillet must reach what internal temperature?
1. 70 °C (158 °F)
2. 60 °C (140 °F)
3. 50 °C (122 °F)
4. 82 °C (180 °F)
Which practice is one of the leading causes of foodborne illness?
1. Using a probe thermometer
2. Cooking food in small batches
3. Freezing food too quickly
4. Cooling food too slowly
After food reaches 20 °C, it must reach 4 °C or less within how many more hours?
1. Two hours
2. Eight hours
3. Four hours
4. Twelve hours
What is the minimum internal temperature for ground beef burgers?
1. 55 °C (131 °F)
2. 71 °C (160 °F)
3. 60 °C (140 °F)
4. 63 °C (145 °F)
When checking a burger patty with a probe thermometer, where should you insert it?
1. Into the bun beside it
2. Through the side into the middle
3. Straight down onto the grill
4. Just under the top crust
What is the best way to cool a large batch of cooked rice?
1. Spread it in shallow pans in the fridge
2. Cover it tightly on the counter
3. Leave it in the deep pot to cool
4. Put the hot pot on the floor
A whole roast chicken must reach what internal temperature?
1. 71 °C (160 °F)
2. 63 °C (145 °F)
3. 82 °C (180 °F)
4. 60 °C (140 °F)
Why are shallow pans of cooling food placed on the top shelves of the fridge?
1. Because the top shelf is the warmest
2. So the food freezes faster there
3. So customers can see the food
4. To reduce the risk of cross-contamination
Cooked food must be cooled from 60 °C to 20 °C within how long?
1. Four hours
2. Two hours
3. Eight hours
4. Six hours
Why must a hamburger be cooked all the way through, while a steak can be served rarer?
1. Burgers are thinner and cool down faster on the plate
2. Steak never carries any bacteria
3. Ground beef comes from older animals
4. Grinding mixes surface bacteria into the meat
A pot of stew is checked two hours after cooking and is still 30 °C. What should be done?
1. Reheat it and serve it now
2. Discard it
3. Put it in the freezer
4. Keep cooling it overnight
Which method speeds up cooling a large pot of soup?
1. Wrapping it in towels
2. Leaving it on the stove top
3. Covering it with a tight lid
4. An ice water bath with stirring
How quickly must reheated food reach its safe temperature?
1. Within six hours
2. Within two hours
3. Any time before serving
4. Within twelve hours
Why shouldn't cold soup be reheated in a steam table or soup urn?
1. Steam tables use too much water when set to high heat
2. It is against fire regulations
3. Holding units don't heat food fast or hot enough
4. Soup urns cook food unevenly fast
When should hot cooked food be put on ice or into the fridge to cool?
1. Before it drops below 60 °C
2. Only once it is fully cold
3. After it sits out for 3 hours
4. Once it reaches room temperature
What is Health Canada's safe internal temperature for an omelette or quiche?
1. 74 °C (165 °F)
2. 82 °C (180 °F)
3. 63 °C (145 °F)
4. 60 °C (140 °F)
How should gravy be reheated?
1. Microwave it for a few seconds
2. Put it in the steam table
3. Bring it to a boil
4. Warm it to 40 °C
Once the thermometer shows the right cooking temperature, how long should the food stay at it?
1. At least 2 hours
2. At least 1 second
3. At least 30 minutes
4. At least 15 seconds
Frozen raw breaded chicken nuggets must be cooked to what internal temperature?
1. 68 °C (154 °F)
2. 74 °C (165 °F)
3. 63 °C (145 °F)
4. 60 °C (140 °F)
A lasagna contains meat, cheese and eggs. What internal temperature must it reach?
1. 60 °C (140 °F)
2. 65 °C (149 °F)
3. 74 °C (165 °F)
4. 70 °C (158 °F)
Baked chicken on a hot line fell below 60 °C but has been held for less than two hours. What may be done?
1. Reheat it once to 74 °C for 15 seconds
2. Cool it and serve it cold
3. Reheat it as many times as needed
4. Keep holding it as it is
Leftovers should be reheated to what internal temperature?
1. 50 °C (122 °F)
2. 60 °C (140 °F)
3. 63 °C (145 °F)
4. 74 °C (165 °F)
How should cooled food be stored once it is fully cold?
1. Unlabelled on the bottom shelf
2. In the pot it was cooked in
3. Uncovered so it stays dry
4. Covered tightly, labelled and dated
Chicken wings and breasts (poultry pieces) must be cooked to what internal temperature?
1. 68 °C (154 °F)
2. 60 °C (140 °F)
3. 74 °C (165 °F)
4. 63 °C (145 °F)
Pork chops must be cooked to what minimum internal temperature?
1. 82 °C (180 °F)
2. 63 °C (145 °F)
3. 71 °C (160 °F)
4. 60 °C (140 °F)
Yesterday's chili was reheated and served today. Some is left over. What should be done with it?
1. Throw it out
2. Cool and reheat it again tomorrow
3. Mix it into a fresh batch
4. Freeze it for next week

Cooking, cooling and reheating: key rules to remember

Our summary of what the official handbook says on this topic, in our own words. Read it before or after the practice questions above, then check the original chapter. Read the official chapter ↗

Cooking

Food mixtures containing hazardous foods: internal 74 °C (165 °F); confirm with a probe for at least 15 seconds.
Whole cuts: surface bacteria are killed even if the centre is cooler; ground meat mixes surface bacteria through, so it must be cooked all the way through.
Guide table (from raw, held at least 15 seconds): pork 71 °C; whole poultry 82 °C; poultry pieces or ground 74 °C; ground meat other than poultry 71 °C; fish 70 °C; mixtures with poultry, eggs, meat, fish or other PHF 74 °C.

Safe internal cooking temperatures (canada.ca, read 2026-10-16)

Ground beef/veal/lamb 71 °C; beef/veal/lamb cuts medium-rare 63 °C, medium 71 °C, well done 77 °C; mechanically tenderized beef 63 °C (turn at least twice).
Ground pork and pork cuts 71 °C. Poultry pieces, ground poultry, stuffing, frozen raw breaded chicken products 74 °C; whole poultry 82 °C.
Egg dishes 74 °C. Fish 70 °C. Shellfish 74 °C. Leftovers 74 °C. Hot dogs 74 °C.
Thermometer through the thickest part, not touching bone; burgers from the side.

Cooling

Food must go onto ice or into the fridge before it drops below 60 °C.
Two-stage rule: 60 °C to 20 °C within two hours, then 20 °C to 4 °C or less within the next four hours. Cooling too slowly is a leading cause of foodborne illness.
Shallow pans 5–7 cm (2–3 in) deep or less, partly covered, on top shelves; stir. Cover tightly, label and date once cooled.
Large containers: ice water bath, stirring, ice wand, add ice to the food, divide into small amounts.
Food prepared at room temperature (e.g., salads) cooled from 20 °C to 4 °C within four hours.

Reheating

Reheat hazardous food to its minimum cooking temperature for at least 15 seconds, reaching it within two hours; use high heat.
Bring soups, stews, gravies to a boil; reheat in small amounts.
Never reheat in a hot-holding unit (holding oven, steam table, soup urn).
Leftovers pass through the danger zone twice; discard leftovers after reheating (no leftovers of leftovers).

Corrective action example

Baked chicken held hot: held over two hours below 60 °C → discard; under two hours → reheat to 74 °C for 15 seconds, once only.
Food not cooled to 20 °C within two hours → discard.

Study the Cooking, cooling and reheating rules as flashcards →