Thawing

Transition of an item from a frozen to an unfrozen state — the reverse of freezing and a critical control point in food handling. Thawing must be managed so food passes through the microbial danger zone (roughly 5–60 °C) as quickly as safety allows: recommended methods are refrigeration, cold running water, microwave followed by immediate cooking, or cooking from frozen. Slow thawing at room temperature invites bacterial growth and quality loss through drip and texture damage. In industry, controlled thawing tunnels with calibrated air temperature and humidity temper frozen meat and fish uniformly, preserving yield and safety before further processing.