Eli5: why is it safer to let food cool down before putting it in fridge, instead of putting it in hot?

Question

Eli5: why is it safer to let food cool down before putting it in fridge, instead of putting it in hot?

In: Biology

Answer 1

You should always cool food in the refrigerator. You want to cool it down as fast as possible. I think where this misconception comes from is that you shouldn’t put covered hot food in the fridge to cool, as it will create condensation and excess moisture. That along with the still warm yet cooling food creates a better environment for nasties to grow in. At least that’s what I was taught back when I got my food handling certificate for working in a commercial setting. That said I wouldn’t take piping hot food and stick it right in a small home refrigerator as it can increase the temp of the fridge. You can let it cool some, stick it in the fridge uncovered and then cover once fully cool. You wanna avoid the “danger zone” between 40-140 degrees Fahrenheit.