Many bacteria have a shorter generation time at warmer temperatures.Why do food safety guidelines recommend rapidly cooling leftover foods and maintaining them at refrigerator temperatures?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Many bacteria reach disease-causing levels rapidly when food is warm, so it is important to cool it quickly and maintain it at refrigerator temperatures to slow down bacterial growth and prevent foodborne illnesses. The fact that bacteria have a shorter generation time at warmer temperatures is precisely why it is important to cool food rapidly.

Many Bacteria Have a Shorter Generation Time at Warmer Temperatures