How To Defrost Food Safely

Ingredients

• Frozen food
• A refrigerator, cold water bath, or microwave

Steps

1. Know the dangers - Keep food out of “the danger zone” – between 40 and 140 degrees. Freezing stops bacteria from growing but does not kill it. As soon as frozen food reaches 40 degrees, harmful bacteria can multiply. (21 sec. )
2. Defrosting in the refrigerator is the safest method because it keeps food below 40 degrees. (32 sec. )
3. Plan ahead - To defrost in the fridge, allow one full day for every five pounds for large items like a turkey or roast. You’ll need a full 24 hours for anything under five pounds, such as a package of ground beef or chicken breasts. (39 sec. )
4. Know your refrigerator - Keep in mind that some areas inside your refrigerator are colder than others. Allow more time for items placed in the colder regions. (51 sec. )
5. After thawing in the fridge, cook ground meats and poultry within a day and red meat within three days. Once thawed, they should not be refrozen. (59 sec. )
6. Seal well for cold water defrosting - If time is short, defrost in a cold water bath. Seal anything that’s not in watertight packaging in a leak-proof, plastic bag. Fully submerge the item in cold water. (67 sec. )
7. Change the water - Replace the cold water every half hour. Allow an hour per pound for packages up to three pounds and 30 minutes per pound for larger items. (78 sec. )
8. Food thawed in cold water or in a microwave must be cooked immediately and cannot be refrozen. (85 sec. )
9. Unwrap before microwaving - To defrost in a microwave, remove food from its packaging first. Foam trays and liners can melt in a microwave and leach chemicals into the food. Place the food on a microwavable dish. (93 sec. )
10. Run at half power - Run the microwave at 50 percent power or on the defrost setting. Allow about 10 minutes per pound for frozen meats. (105 sec. )
11. Stop and rearrange - Stop the microwave several times to pull apart frozen-together pieces. Break up and turn over ground meats. Start large, solid items, such as chicken, upside down, and turn them over halfway through. (114 sec. )
12. Did you know? Prepackaged frozen foods were first sold to the public in 1930. (125 sec. )