ServSafe Manager Practice Exam

After cooling chicken soup from 135°F to 80°F in two hours, what step must the food handler take next?

1. Serve the soup immediately

2. Reheat the soup and cool it again

3. Discard the soup

4. Leave it out to cool further

The correct answer is: Reheat the soup and cool it again

The correct choice involves the process of ensuring that food reaches safe temperatures for storage. After cooling chicken soup from 135°F to 80°F within the required two-hour window, the next logical step is to reheat the soup to a safe temperature and cool it again if necessary. This is essential because food must be cooled from 135°F to 70°F within two hours and then to 41°F or lower within an additional four hours to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. Reheating the soup ensures that any potential pathogens that may have developed during the cooling process are eliminated by bringing the temperature back up to a safe level. Subsequently, the soup can then be cooled properly and stored safely for consumption. Leaving the soup out to cool further could allow it to fall within the temperature danger zone (between 41°F and 135°F), which is critical for bacterial growth and poses a significant food safety risk. Serving the soup immediately (though it might seem beneficial) doesn't account for proper cooling protocols, and discarding it would be wasteful if the soup can be handled correctly to ensure safety.