Too often, we tend to let food defrost on the counter at room temperature, thinking it will save time in the kitchen. However, this innocuous gesture transforms our dishes into veritable breeding grounds for bacteria. We’ll explain it to you.
Risk of food poisoning
When you freeze food, you stop the multiplication of bacteria, but they are not eliminated. They survive and remain present in the food and it is when it is thawed at room temperature, above 4°C, that these dormant micro-organisms wake up. We might as well tell you that some of these bacteria, Escherichia coli, Salmonella or even Listeriacan make you very ill: nausea and vomiting, abdominal cramps or even headaches and fever. This is particularly the case for bacteria Bacillus cereusresponsible for “Cantonese rice syndrome”, a food poisoning which can prove fatal. These symptoms usually appear within a few hours after ingestion, but sometimes occur up to several days later, depending on the type of bacteria and the amount consumed. Be particularly careful when defrosting meat, fish and cooked meals as they are more susceptible to bacterial growth.
The right steps to defrost
To defrost more safely, place food in the refrigerator, where the temperature is maintained at around 4°C. Of course, this method takes a little more time, but it ensures even defrosting without the risk of bacterial proliferation. If you need to defrost more quickly, for example for an impromptu meal, place the food in a waterproof container and immerse it in cold water. Finally, you can also use the microwave defrost mode, but only in the case where the food in question is cooked immediately afterwards.
Prevention is better than cure: good defrosting skills will allow you to enjoy your dishes in complete peace of mind, without fear of poisoning!
