Extremely dangerous ways to freeze food.
Many people thaw food in large chunks, then cut off a portion they need to eat and put the rest back in the freezer. This is a habit that poses many potential risks.
According to Dr. Bui Thi Mai Huong from the National Institute of Nutrition, in modern society, people are busy, and using frozen foods is an increasingly popular and convenient trend. Proper freezing and thawing methods still ensure the nutritional value and safety of the food.
"Like with ground meat, to preserve it properly, after grinding, divide it into small portions sufficient for use and then freeze it. This is much more convenient than freezing a large container at once, which is very difficult to take out," Dr. Huong advised.
However, many people have improper food freezing and thawing habits, which cause food to deteriorate and lose nutrients.
"The most typical example is the habit of thawing and then refreezing food," said Dr. Huong.
Consequently, many people, when freezing food, don't divide it into smaller portions, but leave the meat or a whole chicken/duck in one large block... until, when used, the food freezes into a solid block that cannot be divided.
Many people carelessly leave food at room temperature for a few hours or soak it in water until it softens, then cut it into portions suitable for cooking, and put the rest in the freezer.
"This is very dangerous, because all thawing processes carry the risk of microorganisms rapidly growing in the food. Therefore, food should not be refrozen after it has been thawed."
Furthermore, after thawing, if food is not refreezed quickly afterward, it will lose water and its nutritional value will be altered, meaning the food will no longer have the same nutritional content as it did initially," Dr. Huong advised.
Dr. Huong also pointed out many mistakes housewives make when thawing food, such as leaving it at room temperature for several hours; soaking it in water... This thawing process increases the risk of bacteria multiplying, leading to food becoming unsafe if not cooked thoroughly, and causing food spoilage due to being left out for too long.
According to this expert, housewives should prepare for the next day's meal the night before. They should take the food they plan to eat from the freezer and put it in the refrigerator's cooling compartment so they can prepare it the next day.
This is a common and safe method for thawing food that many people use. Poultry, fish, and ground meat thawed this way can be safely stored in the refrigerator for another 1-2 days before cooking.
It's important to note that when storing food in the refrigerator's cooling compartment, it must be kept in a separate area, in a sealed container, and not mixed with cooked food to avoid cross-contamination of bacteria, which increases the risk of food poisoning.
Alternatively, you can take the food directly from the freezer and use the defrost function of the microwave to soften it, making it easier to prepare. After defrosting, it should be cooked immediately to avoid further exposure to room temperature, which can lead to bacterial growth.
Before freezing food, people should wash it thoroughly, drain the water (or use paper towels to dry the food), then divide it into appropriate portions and put it in containers for freezing to ensure the food remains fresh, delicious, and retains its best nutritional value.