Problems with frozen foods

Frozen foods can cause food poisoning if they are not frozen soon enough or if they are not cooked soon enough after thawing. Food-poisoning organisms can grow in food if its temperature exceeds 45◦ to 50◦ F for only a few hours. If the food cooked before it is frozen, it should immediately be put in a refrigerator or freezer. Allowing warm food to cool at room temperature permits the growth of food-poisoning microbes that may survive the freezing process.

Foods should be thawed in a microwave oven or if such an oven is not available, in a refrigerator. Both methods prevent the growth of food-poisoning organisms. However, refrigerator thawing allows physical and chemical changes that reduce food quality.

To help prevent the loss of quality that occurs in vegetables as a result of slow thawing, processing firms package many kinds of vegetables in sealed plastic pouches. Consumers can thaw the vegetables rapidly and cook them - by transferring the unopened pouch from a freezer directly into boiling water. The tightly packed pouches also prevent freezer burn and the formation of package ice. Many frozen foods can be cooked in a microwave oven as soon as they are removed from the freezer.