Food hygiene experts reveal tips on safely thawing and defrosting your food

Knowing how to thaw and defrost food safely is an important part of good food hygiene. Here, the team at food hygiene experts at High Speed Training share guidance on keeping your food safe to eat after freezing to reduce the risk of food poisoning and cross-contamination.

Why does thawing matter?

Dr Richard Anderson, Learning Experience Director at High Speed Training, said, “Freezing food doesn’t usually kill harmful bacteria. The cold temperature halts or slows their growth, leaving the bacteria dormant until the food thaws. As food warms, bacteria can become active again and multiply, particularly if it is left at unsafe temperatures for too long. This is why it’s important to thaw food correctly.”

How to safely thaw and defrost your food

• Fridge: This is generally the safest method because the food remains cold as it thaws. However, you need to plan ahead, as larger or thicker items can take several hours or even overnight to fully defrost. When defrosting food in the fridge ensure that you keep the food covered or in its original packaging. Place raw meat, poultry and fish on a plate or in a container to catch any liquid and store raw foods away from ready-to-eat foods to prevent cross-contamination. Place raw meat and poultry on the bottom shelf of the fridge, make sure your fridge is operating at a safe temperature, usually 5°C or below.
• Microwave: A microwave can be used to defrost food quickly. However, parts of the food may warm or begin to cook during the process, so it’s important to cook it immediately after it has been defrosted. When using a microwave to defrost food ensure you use the microwave’s defrost setting where available and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for both the food and the microwave. Turn or rotate the food during defrosting, if necessary, to help it thaw evenly. Check the centre to ensure it has fully defrosted and cook the food immediately after defrosting.
• Water: Some foods can be defrosted using cold water, although defrosting in the fridge is the safer option. If using cold water, keep the food securely packaged and make sure it cannot come into contact with other foods. Never use warm or hot water to speed up the defrosting process, as the outside of the food could become warm enough for harmful bacteria to multiply while the centre remains frozen.

Dr Anderson continues, “Before defrosting food, always check the packaging for instructions as some frozen foods are designed to be cooked directly from frozen and don’t need to be thawed first. If the packaging provides specific defrosting or cooking instructions, follow these carefully.”

Food safety experts’ top 10 tips for defrosting food

Following these 10 simple rules can significantly reduce the risk of contamination and food poisoning when handling frozen food:

1. Defrost food in the fridge wherever possible.
2. Never leave food that needs refrigeration to defrost at room temperature.
3. Keep raw meat, poultry and fish separate from ready-to-eat foods.
4. Use a plate or container to catch liquid released during defrosting.
5. Make sure food is fully defrosted before cooking, unless the manufacturer’s instructions state that it can be cooked from frozen.
6. If using a microwave to defrost food, cook it immediately afterwards.
7. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for packaged frozen food.
8. Wash your hands and clean all surfaces and utensils after handling raw meat, poultry or fish.
9. Keep fully defrosted food refrigerated until it is ready to be cooked.
10. Never refreeze defrosted food unless it is safe to do so.

Dr Anderson concludes, “Taking care when thawing and defrosting food is a simple way to reduce the risk of food poisoning and cross-contamination. By keeping food cold while it thaws, following the manufacturer’s instructions for ready-made foods and taking extra care with raw meat, poultry and fish, you can ensure your food remains safe to eat.”

For more tips and in-depth guidance, visit High Speed Training Hub