It has been observed that wrongful steps in cooling and reheating of hazardous foods are responsible for significant causes in spread of food borne diseases. To take care of the situation a State Sanitary code is in existence effective from 19th of August, 1992 and is enforced by the concerned authorities. The sanitary code was as a consequence of the related information discussions between the food serving establishment members and food industry regulator body official representatives holding series of meetings. As per the sanitary code adopted there are new effective requirements calling for alterations in the steps to be taken in respect of cooling and reheating of foods having potential of cause hazardous to the human health.

Such foods causing potential hazards and needing refrigeration must be subjected to cooling by an appropriate method taking care that every portion of the product's temperature is allowed to get reduced from 120 degrees Fahrenheit to 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the period of two hours, and thereafter from 70 degrees Fahrenheit further cooling to 45 degrees Fahrenheit or below in duration of next four hours.

The Bacteria, which is responsible of causing food poisoning grows at temperatures between 45 degrees Fahrenheit and 120 degrees Fahrenheit. By following the recommended cooling requirement there is limitation of the duration of time, during which potential of hazardous food falls and is in the temperature range, which is conducive to harmful bacteria growth. Foods which have specific importance for meeting the cooling necessity are soups, sauces, gravies, all kind of Non-vegetarian and vegetarian preparations.

Although there are many techniques to effect fast cooling of the potentially hazardous foods, it is up to the manager looking after such activities at a food serving establishment to decide, which method or number of methods in combination are to be deployed, meeting compliance of the sanitary code. According to The Health Library, rules will soon become way stricter.

Few methods are listed below for consideration:

- Continue Stirring of soups, sauces, gravies and chilies, by keeping the container in an ice water bath. The level of ice water needs to be either equal to or more than the food occupying the container kept in ice cold water bath.

- By transferring of hot foods in shallow pans having product depth equal to four inches or less and do its refrigeration. Pans should be uncovered till the food temperature attains 45 degrees Fahrenheit.

- The solid foods, like roasted meats should be cut in portions weighing six pounds or less after its cooking and before cooling.

- Deploying specialized refrigerators called "rapid chill units," which are of tailor made design for cooling the foods very fast in comparison to standard refrigerators. These tailor made units are more particularly of use when big mass of foods are prepared before it is required Reheating.

According to the State Sanitary Code it is expected that the whole quantity of cooked and refrigerated potentially hazardous food, needing to be reheated the reheating must be completed to attain 165 degrees Fahrenheit temperature or above within the two hours, and should be kept above 140 degrees Fahrenheit till it is served. The procedure is capable of destroying the bacteria, which has potential of food poisoning and thus preventing the bacteria's growth in the food.

It is still advisable that Foods should be prepared nearest to serving time to the extent possible, and the quantities should be such that there is minimum leftover food. This eliminates any requirement of cooling and reheating.