>It's not supposed to be safe to let foods cool down before you put them
>in the freezer or fridge. During that time bacteria can grow.
>Supposedly it's safest to just put them away immediately. I can't
>remember where I read this but it made an impression on me. My husband
>always wanted me to cool things down first because he thought it would
>cause the fridge to work harder.
The official food-handler's guide says that foods should be cooled quickly
by spreading them in a shallow layer and refrigerating or tucking into the
freezer, then if you want, transfer when cool to the final storage
container. I haven't seen anyplace that actually bothers to obey when the
food-inspector isn't there observing. Draw your own conclusions...
Noel
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