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No. US Food and Drug Administration guidance does not require hot leftovers to reach room temperature before refrigeration. It allows hot food in the refrigerator and specifies dividing large amounts into shallow containers for faster cooling.
The FDA advises refrigerating leftovers within two hours, or within one hour when the surrounding temperature exceeds 90°F. It also stresses that cold air must circulate inside the refrigerator. These instructions do not mean that a large, deep pot will cool adequately simply because it has been refrigerated.
Cooling advice is not worded identically across institutions. University of Minnesota Extension recommends rapid cooling to about 70°F before refrigeration, using methods such as an ice-water bath. This check therefore addresses the FDA's specific guidance, rather than claiming that every authority recommends the same sequence.
The FDA does not require a room-temperature waiting stage. Its guidance emphasizes prompt refrigeration and small, shallow portions.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
The FDA states that hot food can go into the refrigerator and advises dividing leftovers into smaller containers to accelerate cooling. Its guidance does not require waiting for room temperature.
Based on: U.S. Food and Drug Administration
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
A second FDA page explicitly permits hot food in the refrigerator while calling for shallow containers and sufficient space for cold air to circulate. It is clarification from the same authority, not independent confirmation.
Based on: U.S. Food and Drug Administration
University of Minnesota Extension
The university recommends cooling food rapidly to about 70°F before refrigeration and describes shallow portions and ice-water baths. This difference limits the check to what FDA guidance actually says.
Based on: University of Minnesota Extension
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