Thawing foods may take several hours or days depending on the size of the food item being thawed. Thawing must be done so that the risk of cross-contamination is reduced, and the time that Time/Temperature Control for Safety (TCS) food (aka Potentially Hazardous Food or PHF) is in the temperature danger zone (41 to 135°F) is kept to minimum.

To thaw food safely:

• Thaw under refrigeration (41°F and below)
• Under cold running potable water (safe to drink) of 70°F or less, while ensuring that foods are not in the temperature danger zone for more than 4 hours
• In a microwave then transferred to conventional cooking equipment with no interruption in the process
• Reduced oxygen packaged fish (i.e. vacuum packed) that is labeled to be kept frozen until time of use must be removed from the package prior to thawing