In article >,
"Priscilla H. Ballou" > wrote:

> See, I've never understood this. I would expect putting things right in
> the fridge would cool them off quicker and make them safer sooner. Any
> danger, to my sluggish brain, would be to foods adjacent to the warmer
> food in the fridge. But I've heard repeatedly to let foods cool on the
> counter before putting them in the fridge -- for the sake of their own
> safety. Tis a puzzlement.

The concern is not letting the food before putting it in the fridge, but
not putting hot food in the fridge. You *do* want the food to cool as
quickly as possible, but putting a quantity of hot food in the fridge
raised the temperature of the entire refrigerator interior.

Putting a container of hot food into a cold water bath (container
permitting) and frequently stirring the contents will cool it more
quickly, permitting you to get it into the fridge faster.

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