Never prepare your frozen food in this way, CDC warns
This current practice could be extremely risky when it comes to cooking what is in your freezer.
Frozen food is a great way to prepare a quick meal when you are pressed for the time. Whether you launch chicken strips on a salad or make a dinner steak, you have something on the spot in the freezer can be a game changer on occupied weekly. The way you use yourfrozen food is of course totally yours, but the disease control and prevention centers (CDC) warn against a very common error whenPrepare the freezer food. To see what you should avoid when cooking frozen foods, read it.
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Never thaw frozen food on the counter.
While the kitchen countertop may seem like the most logical place ofLet your frozen food thawThe CDC warns that "harmful germs can multiply very quickly at room temperature". The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) also stated that food should never be thawed on the counter andshould never be left at room temperature for more than two hours.
This is because the USDA explains: "Bacteria grow the fastest growing In the range of temperatures between 40 ° F and 140 ° F, double in number as little as 20 minutes. "As a result, this temperature range is often called" danger zone ".
"Cruite or cooked meat, poultry or eggs, like all perishable food ... are safe indefinitely while frozen," says the USDA. "However, as soon as they start defrosting and becoming warmer 40 ° F, the bacteria that can be present before freezing can begin to multiply."
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You should also never thaw frozen food in hot water.
If you have not planned in advance and you rush to thaw something quickly, you can try the old trick to place your frozen food in hot water to accelerate the process, but it can also be dangerous .
The USDA claims to thaw your food in this way is risky for the same reasons why it is dangerous to drop on the counter. "Even if the center of the package can always be frozen ... the outer layer of food could be in the" danger sona ", explains the USDA.
It is better to ignore the gradient than run your food under hot water.
If you try to prepare a squeezed meal, it's safer not to thaw completely than let your frozen food in hot water or exit on the counter.
According to the USDA, it is prudent to cook frozen food in their frozen state, although the agency warns that cooking will take about 50% more than if you give it after thawing.
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There are only three safe ways to thaw frozen food, CDC and USDA say.
The CDC and the USDA advise both people to plan in advance when cooking frozen food. The USDA says that the best way to thaw frozen food safely is in the refrigerator where it will remain at "a safe and constant temperature at 40 ° F or below".
The agency says that you can also thaw your food safely using cold water. To use this method, frozen foods must be in a completely submerged bag and you should change the water every 30 minutes. If you plan to try this technique, make sure the bag does not flee because if it does, "the air bacteria or the surrounding environment could be introduced into the food," warns the USDA. In addition, "the meat fabric can absorb the water, causing an aqueous product."
The last option is to thaw your frozen foods in the microwave. If you are going to go this road, you must cook it immediately after degradation. Otherwise, this can reach these feared temperatures of "danger zone".
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