Defrosting Safely

Why you need it

Food thawed on a worktop warms on the outside while the centre is still frozen, giving bacteria time to grow. Food that is still frozen in the middle may also not cook through properly.

Safer Food, Better Business includes defrosting as a safe method, so staff need to know how your kitchen does it.

What it’s for

The safe way to defrost: allow enough time in a fridge at 5°C or below, keep raw meat, poultry and fish covered below ready-to-eat food, check it is fully defrosted before cooking, and use it within 24 hours unless the label says sooner.

How to use it

1. Fix it on or beside the fridge you use for defrosting, or by the freezer door.
2. Build defrosting into your prep list so large items go into the fridge in good time.
3. Label each item with the date it went into the fridge and the date it finished defrosting.
4. Cook food defrosted in the microwave straight away.
5. If you find food thawing on a worktop, check your safe method before deciding whether it can be used.