Is it important to let food cool before putting it in the refrigerator?

Question

I've heard it countless times before. Is it a myth or an important fact?

The reason I ask is because I've heard different answers:

The first is Yes, it is important to let food cool before putting it in the refrigerator because if it is too hot, when you will put it in, hot meets cold and it causes more germs to form on the food.

The second is No, it is a myth that it is important to let food cool before putting it in the fridge, because cold prevents germs from forming therefore the faster it cools the less germs you will have.

The third is Yes, you should let food cool before putting it in the fridge otherwise its heat will increase the temperature of your whole refrigerator which could use out the motor excessively over a long period of time.

All three answers seem quite logical, but which is the right answer? What really goes on in and on the food, chemically and biologically?

I have these leftover sausages that I just cooked on the barbecue, do I let them cool before putting them in the fridge or not?

Answer 1

I think it's because food cools faster at room temperature than in the fridge.  I know that doesn't meet common sense, but chemistry is like that sometimes.

Answer 2

It just puts a strain on the fridge to put hot items in it, that's all.  The cold air in the fridge warms up and it takes extra energy to get it back to it's original cold temp. again.  

Answer 3

well i agree with cooling it as fast as possable,in restaurants this is usually done in a sink with an ice bath,before putting it into the fridge..putting hot foods in the fridge will raise the temperature of the fridge putting other perishable items at risk..and may cause your compressor to over work itself in the long run too.

Answer 4

You want to let your sausages cool to room temperature before putting them in the refrigerator.

Basically, there are 6 things that bacteria love. You can remember this through an acronym entitled FATTOM.

F: food (any type of food item that provides nutrients for microorganisms)

A: acidity (the pH range where microorganisms can survive or grow)

T: temperature (temperature range where microorganisms can survive or grow)

T: time (time it takes for microorganisms to reproduce)

O: oxygen (some microorganisms need oxygen to grow, some do not)

M: moisture (water availability)

If you put your sausages in the refrigerator while they're still hot, all the steam coming from the meat creates moisture, one of the things bacteria loves. Letting your meat cool down reduces the moisture and the oxygen levels, thereby reducing the chances for bacteria to grow. Use this rule for all foods. Let them cool to room temp or you can cool them faster by putting the food in a container and putting the container in a bigger container of ice and water to cool it down faster. I hope this helps you out. Happy cooking!

Answer 5

For things like that, I usually don't let them cool, I just stick them right in.

For certain baked goods, it's extremely important to let cool.

Keep in mind that if you put the sausages in a container while hot, and stick in the cold fridge, there will be significant condensation inside the container. So, next time you open it, you might have watery sausages. I guess that would be a good reason to cool, then fridge right?

Answer 6

there's a mixed thought on that.  

one is that hot foods will cause them temp to be lower in the fridge and so it lowers the efficiency of it

the bigger argument is that letting food cool on the counter (outside the fridge) can cause more bacteria and germs to go to it and so then the food may be tainted - such as you forget to put away the food right away.

I usually wait a little - until the food is no longer "smoking" hot and then put it in the fridge