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Thawing meals and cooling meals are two challenges we face each day in foodservice operations. No matter the kind of facility you use, you might be sure to be thawing meals sooner or later within the day. Once I began my first job within the foodservice trade on the ripe age of 14 a few years in the past, in fact, I knew the whole lot there was to find out about thawing meals – I’d seen my mother do it for years and by that point had earned a number of blue ribbons in 4-H meals initiatives. You merely put it on the counter for the day and are available again dwelling for dinner and voilà, your meals is able to prepare dinner. Whereas that will not have been what I discovered within the trade as the correct option to do issues, it wasn’t far off from the practices on the time.
Frozen meals are usually secure when saved on the appropriate temperature. Nonetheless, as soon as that frozen meals begins to thaw, micro organism that will have been dormant throughout freezing can grow to be lively once more, rising contamination danger. That’s why correct thawing methods are important, it prevents these micro organism from reaching harmful ranges.
Within the meals code, the Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) outlines 4 secure strategies for thawing meals in a industrial kitchen:
The very best methodology to soundly thaw frozen meals is by inserting it within the fridge. Whereas bigger foodservice operations might have a devoted cooler for this (often known as a tempering room), small foodservice operations often don’t have this luxurious. This methodology ensures that meals stays at secure temperatures all through your entire thawing course of. Nonetheless, as you may guess, this methodology additionally takes the longest and requires planning, and in foodservice with the peaks and valleys of service, we aren’t at all times in a position to plan as successfully as we’d like.
For quicker thawing, particularly whenever you want meals prepared rapidly, you should use chilly operating water. The water have to be potable and stored at a temperature of 70°F or under. The important thing right here is to make sure that meals is thawed rapidly and safely to forestall micro organism development. This doesn’t imply placing it below operating water and coming again to it eight hours later. As soon as the product is thawed, take away from the water and get right into a temperature-controlled atmosphere as rapidly as doable. The water doesn’t should be on at full velocity, nevertheless it does should be at a adequate velocity to agitate and float off free particles. Throughout this course of, it’s crucial that you simply monitor the meals to make sure it doesn’t rise above 41°F.
It’s at all times preferable to have a sink devoted to meals preparation the place you’ll be able to thaw meals. Nonetheless, within the absence of that, should you should use a ware washing sink to thaw meals, the meals code additionally notes that this sink ought to be correctly cleaned and sanitized earlier than and after doing so.
…as soon as that frozen meals begins to thaw, micro organism that will have been dormant throughout freezing can grow to be lively once more, rising contamination danger.
Microwaves should not precisely identified for producing meals worthy of a Michelin Star. However they are often an efficient instrument in your arsenal when it’s worthwhile to thaw meals on the fly. Once more, this isn’t a sit it and neglect it proposition, and it does require cautious monitoring. Meals thawed within the microwave might start to heat up and enter the temperature hazard zone (40°F to 140°F), the place micro organism can multiply quickly. Due to this fact, meals thawed within the microwave ought to at all times be cooked instantly.
For some meals, like smaller cuts of meat or veggies, you’ll be able to prepare dinner immediately from frozen. This isn’t one thing we did quite a bit in our foodservice operation, however I want we’d have given this extra thought. In case you are routinely having to thaw meals, incorporating the thawing into the cooking course of is perhaps a good way to systemize the thawing course of and make the meals safer in the long run.
As I discussed above, these tips are all outlined in 3-501.13 of the meals code, however it is usually necessary to examine the meals code adopted in your state to verify these are acceptable in your jurisdiction. Most states have comparable tips for secure thawing, nevertheless it by no means hurts to examine.
Whether or not you’re thawing meals at dwelling or in a industrial operation, make sure to take action correctly and attempt to plan at any time when doable. Thawing below refrigeration can take a number of hours or a number of days, relying on the dimensions of meals you might be thawing. Think about your Thanksgiving turkey and what number of days it sits in your fridge at dwelling earlier than it is able to prepare dinner. Make certain you place the frozen meals in a leak-proof plastic bag or different packaging, which helps reduce cross contamination.
As with every meals security process we talk about, you should definitely practice your workers correctly. Identical to the 14-year-old model of myself who thought he knew the whole lot, your workers don’t at all times come to you with the data of amount meals manufacturing, and you will need to allow them to know that what we do at dwelling, might not at all times be the very best and most secure methodology to arrange meals. Threat Nothing.
