The guidelines from the health authorities and the best way to defrost food before cooking and consuming it
It is one of the recommendations we hear most often in relation to frozen foods, the one that is always present when we take products from the refrigerated counter at the supermarket: “The thawed product can only be refrozen if previously cooked”. A fact on which we often base our life in the kitchen, especially if we prepare large quantities of food to organize meals for the entire week. But is it true that refreezing thawed foods is bad for you? Let’s see everything you need to know.
Is refreezing thawed food bad for you?
Faced with such a serious issue, one can only turn to the information that comes from the health authorities, from the Ministry of Health to the Istituto Superiore di Sanità. The guidelines are clear: “If defrosting has not been followed by a cooking phase, the food must not be frozen again, both due to the possible organoleptic-nutritional impoverishment and the greater risks of microbial deterioration upon preparation subsequent thawing”.
The reason is soon to be said. When we freeze raw food, the low temperature causes a halt in microbial development, but does not intervene in any way in eliminating the viruses and bacteria already present. The thawing operation allows viruses and bacteria to regain their vitality and, if conditions permit, to multiply exponentially and reach quantities that are harmful to our health.
Thanks to cooking the product, most of the microorganisms are eventually inactivated and at that point the food can be refrozen safely. This rule applies in general, but in the case of frozen or industrially frozen foods it is best to follow the instructions on the labels.
How to defrost food correctly
Generally speaking, the best way to defrost food is to place it in the refrigerator and give it time to defrost before cooking it. Alternatively, you can use the microwave oven or defrost food in a bain-marie, taking care to change the water at least every 30 minutes to speed up the operation. However, it is not recommended to defrost food by leaving it at room temperature outside the refrigerator because the risk of proliferation of viruses and bacteria is higher.
To minimize the risk of serious health consequences linked to the proliferation of viruses and bacteria in the food we have defrosted, it is also recommended to consume the food the same day or, as the Ministry of Health reminds us, cook it and only then refreeze it.
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