Can I put hot food in the fridge Australia

Food which is not correctly stored can spoil or become contaminated, which can then lead to making people sick.

Food storage refers to food which is kept it the fridge, freezer, pantry or in some instances a warming receptacle. There are very specific rules regarding the temperatures that food must be stored at, cooked to and reheated to and if not followed, the risk of becoming ill as a result of contamination increases.

General Food Storage

Ensuring that food is properly stored goes a long way towards maintaining a high level of food safety and keeping yourself and others safe. One of the first things to check regarding food which has been stored in the ‘use-by’ or ‘best-before’ dates printed on the packaging.

These dates will give you the most accurate indication of a food’s shelf life, however, when a packet or can is opened, the expiry date almost always changes.

Food should be stored in clean, dry, sanitary containers that are airtight if possible. This will help keep food for longer and reduce the risk of contamination. Food should also be stored off the floor when possible in order to help prevent against pests and other contamination.

Always remember that it is better to be cautious when it comes to food safety and ‘if in doubt, throw it out.’

Refrigerating and Freezing Food

To reduce the risk of bacterial contamination, many foods must be stored in the refrigerator and thus kept below 5 degrees Celsius. These foods are often classified as ‘high-risk foods’ and include – meat, poultry, dairy, seafood, eggs, smallgoods and cooked rice and pasta. This also refers to ready-to-eat foods that have high-risk foods as ingredients and include – casseroles, quiche, pasta salad, pizza, sandwiches and many cakes.

By keeping these high-risk foods under 5 degrees Celsius it stops them from entering the ‘danger-zone’ – temperatures between 5 degrees Celsius and 60 degrees Celsius. The danger-zone is the temperature zone which provides bacteria with the perfect environment to rapidly grow and multiply to numbers that cause food poisoning.

By freezing food its longevity is increased because the water content of the food freezes – this prevents bacteria from multiplying and food spoiling. Food should be kept frozen at -18 degrees Celsius; when thawing, it should be stored in a refrigerator that reaches no more than 5 degrees Celsius until it is ready to be prepared.

Fridges and freezers should be equipped with thermometers so that you can easily check and record the temperatures inside to ensure they are working properly and keeping food out of the danger-zone. Use a weekly checklist to ensure that temperature checks are being done twice a day — click here to download a free Fridge Freezer Temperature Checklist. 

It's important to remember that freezing food does not eliminate bacteria and when the food thaws, bacteria will begin growing and multiplying again. It is also important to avoid refreezing food which has already been frozen and thawed as food which is frozen for the second time is more likely to have a higher bacteria count.

When refrigerating and freezing food it is important to keep raw and cooked foods separate as well as storing cooked food above raw food to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.

Cooking and Reheating Food

When it comes to cooking and reheating food, temperatures are just as important as storing food. Even if food has been properly frozen or refrigerated there will still likely be some bacteria present so heating food to a safe temperature will lower the risk of food poisoning.

High-risk food must be heated to at least 75 degrees Celsius in order to reduce the number of bacteria to a safe level of consumption. Once the food has been heated to this temperature it should not be allowed to drop under 60 degrees Celsius until it is served. This goes for both cooking and reheating food and the best way to monitor the temperature is to purchase a food thermometer.

After the food has been cooked to this temperature it should be eaten or refrigerated within two hours. Food which has been kept in the Temperature Danger Zone (between 5 – 60 degrees Celsius) for between two and four hours cannot be put back in the refrigerator and must be consumed. Any food which remains in the Temperature Danger Zone for four or more hours must be discarded.

Hot food which is to be refrigerated or frozen should first be put in separate shallow containers to allow it to cool faster, rather than being left in one container. Also, food that is heated in a microwave should be periodically stirred while heating as microwaves rarely evenly cook food.

If you’re a food business, using the 2-hour / 4-hour rule is a good way to keep food that’s taken out of the fridge safe.

Why use it?

The 2-hour/4-hour rule is a good way to make sure potentially hazardous food is safe even if it’s been out of refrigeration.

The rule has been scientifically checked and is based on how quickly microorganisms grow in food at temperatures between 5°C and 60°C.

How it works

• Food held between 5°C and 60°C for less than 2 hours can be used, sold or put back in the refrigerator to use later.
• Food held between 5°C and 60°C for 2-4 hours can still be used or sold, but can’t be put back in the fridge.
• Food held between 5°C and 60°C for 4 hours or more must be thrown away.

The time between 5°C and 60°C is cumulative—that means you need to add up every time the food has been out of the fridge, including during preparation, storage, transport and display.

As long as you follow this, you can be confident the food is safe.

How do I use the rule?

• Start timing from when the food is brought out of refrigeration (at 5°C or below).
• Keep track of how long the food is out of refrigeration so you can be sure when the 2-hour and 4-hour time limits are reached (e.g. write down each time food is brought out of refrigeration and put back, or display food on colour-coded plates so you know when they have to be sold by).
• Remember to add up all time periods the food has been between 5°C and 60°C to work out the total time. If in doubt, throw it out.

Total time between 5°C and 60°C

Under 2 hours

OK to use or refrigerate at 5°C or less

2 to 4 hours

OK to use straight away but can’t go back in the fridge.

Over 4 hours

Throw away

Need more information?

Safe Food Australia is a guide to the food safety standards in Chapter 3 of the Food Standards Code. Using time as a control is explained in Appendix 2.

Copies of the guide are available at on our website or by emailing [email protected].​​

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