What are common mistakes when making Safe cooling and storage?

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Leaving a large pot of soup on the counter to cool overnight — this is the single most common dangerous cooling practice. Putting hot food directly in the fridge in a deep container — the centre stays warm for hours. Not cooling rice quickly — Bacillus cereus spores survive cooking and germinate rapidly in warm rice (leftover rice should be cooled within 1 hour and refrigerated immediately). Thawing at room temperature. Re-freezing thawed raw food — safe only if thawed in the refrigerator, not a