How should food be covered during the cooling process?

During the cooling process, food should be loosely covered or not covered at all to allow for proper heat escape. This practice helps to ensure that the food cools down quickly and safely, thereby minimizing the risk of bacteria growth. When food is tightly covered or completely sealed, heat can become trapped, leading to an increase in temperature that can promote the growth of pathogens. Leaving food uncovered is not ideal either, as it can expose the food to contaminants. Therefore, the correct approach is to loosely cover food to strike a balance between protecting it from external contaminants while still allowing heat to dissipate effectively.