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Basic Operating Guidelines
Chilling Within HACCP Guidelines
1) The current FDA Food Code allows much more time for safe chilling
than 90-minutes. This actually requires two critical control points of:
a) From 135°F to 70°F within two hours, then...
b) From 70°F to below 41°F within four hours, for a total chill time
from 135°F to below 41°F of no more than six hours.
2) Total chill times can exceed six hours in duration and still be safe.
This safety threshhold does not include:
a) Any time needed for product to chill from any start temp down to
135°F, or...
b) Any time elapsed to chill to below 41°F.
Loading
1) To achieve quickest chill times product should be loaded into pans to
a depth of no greater than 2”.
2) Products should always be loaded into the shallowest pan possible.
3) Chilling of products of greater than 2” depth is often possible within
FDA guidelines. However please note that actual chill times are a
function of: Start Temperature, Product Density, Product Depth, and
Total Load.
4) Chilling of products, such as whole cooked chickens or meatloaf can
be accomplished. However these should be positioned inside the
chiller to allow the air-flow to contact the greatest surface area of the
product.
Covering
1) Product does not always need to be covered. However before doing so
please consider the following potential scenarios...
a) If large loads of especially hot product are chilled there is the
potential to freeze the coil.
b) Loads of uncovered product that require especially long chilling
times may have the potential to experience surface drying.
c) Loads that are left uncovered in the chiller for long periods after
completion of a chill cycle may also experience surface drying of
the product if left uncovered.
d) Loads of especially liquid product, such as soup, are highly
recommended to be covered in order to prevent accidental
spillage.
e) Some foods, such as rice and pasta, are particularly vulnerable
to drying and so should always be covered.
Use of Food Probes
1) For most accurate results food probes should be used. These need to
be properly placed in the center of the thickest part of the product to
insure an accurate temperature reading.
2) Some products are not suitable for use of food probes. These
products...
a) Should be chilled BY TIME.
b) The correct chill time should be established by the operator based
upon actual product testing.
c) The end cycle temperature should be verified manually with an
clean, accurate thermometer as soon as the pre-established chill
time elapses.
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For details about using your Traulsen blast chiller within a
cook/chill operation please refer to form number TR99999.