In case you didn’t know – thawing - is a fancy word for defrosting. Thawing hazardous food can involve some risks, as it does not occur evenly. Typically, food will thaw from the surface, inwards. This leaves the surface more vulnerable to microbial contamination, as the outside is exposed to room temperatures for longer periods while waiting for the inside to defrost. Consider a turkey, for example. The surface of a turkey will always defrost more quickly than its inside. Because of this, frozen food must not be defrosted at room temperature. The key to defrosting safely is to use methods that aim to thaw all parts as evenly as possible, and within the same time frame while taking it through the danger zone quickly. The video to your right will demonstrate the 3 acceptable thawing methods, you, as a food handler can use in a kitchen environment - something you may very well want to use anywhere, even at home!

The following pages will give some tips on each method.