frigofood.gr - Main Component
Maintaining the temperature of food products within the cold-chain,
from the producer to the end customer, is crucial for maintaining both quality and safety. Safe thawing though is equally important to avoid food spoilage.
Below we present you safe thaw methods by food category:
FOR MEAT:
Refrigerator defrosting is recommended. It is the best way to thaw, because the low temperature of the refrigerator does not allow rapid bacterial growth. Defrosting depending on the size and type of the product may take 1 to 2 days. After thawing, the meat can be preserved in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days whereas minced meat and chicken for 1-2 days.
FOR FISH:
Refrigerator defrosting is once again recommended. Quite often defrosting in cold water is suggested but the packaging should not be removed. In this case you have to dip the fish in cold water. The thawing time is 1 hour for the small pieces and for the larger 2-3 hours.
FOR VEGETABLES:
Vegetables should not be thawed but should be placed directly into the pot which will be used for cooking them unless indicated otherwise in the product package.
CAUTION:
Microwave defrosting is the fastest way to thaw as it takes only a few minutes. Therefore the products which are thawed by microwave should be cooked immediately. The reason is that the temperature reaches a high level and there is a risk of bacteria growth.
NOTE: After thawing, if for some reason you decide not to use the product you can freeze it again but you have to cook it first..