Ontario Food Handler Certification Practice Exam

What should be done if food has been thawed at room temperature?

1. It can be refrozen with no issues

2. It should be discarded

3. It can be cooked immediately

4. It can be stored for up to 24 hours

The correct answer is: It should be discarded

If food has been thawed at room temperature, the safe practice is to discard it. When food is thawed at room temperature, it may spend too much time in the "danger zone," which is the temperature range where bacteria can multiply rapidly. The FDA recommends that perishable foods should not be left out for more than two hours at room temperature, and this time is reduced to one hour if the ambient temperature is above 32°C (90°F). During thawing at room temperature, the outside of the food can reach temperatures conducive to bacterial growth while the inside remains frozen. Consuming such food poses a significant risk of foodborne illnesses. For food safety, it's crucial to always thaw food in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave to ensure that it passes through the danger zone as quickly as possible. While cooking immediately may seem like an option, it doesn't guarantee safety due to the bacteria that may have developed. Refreezing such food isn't advisable either because any bacteria that developed while thawing can survive freezing. Storing food thawed at room temperature for a period also compromises food safety. Therefore, the appropriate action is to discard it to prevent any health risks.