Hi everybody,
Sorry, I disagree with Bobby ( ), for 2 reasons :
- First, it's right it's better not to exceed 4/ 5°C during the thawing. But you have to be careful too with the couple temperature/ lenght of thawing, you can have your product below 4°C for 2-3 days the result will be different from a one-day thawing product. The weight of your piece of chicken or anything else and the time taken to re-freeze it is not so important as the time you let it thaw and thawed. I completely agree with Charles C., a spoiled odour can occur (fortunately!), and I think it will be the best way to reduce food safety risks.
"But, it is not enforced in food service industry because the chances of temperature abuse of products are very less. Very small quantities are refrozen and it is more for convinience.The end user in this case knows the quality of the product before he uses it."
- Second, in restaurants - but I only know Europ, even if you have the best way to teach some good practices, you will always have some problems with the employees - or 'le chef' - the chief : I won't cut the chicken tonight because I'm tired, it's too late, or I have to re-freeze the chicken because customers haven't chosen to eat it, I will do it tomorrow ('cause I'm lazy!)...You can never control this way of re-freezing, and the spoiled odour won't disturb the employees to cook the chicken one day later for example...That's why I agree with strict regulatory affairs in that case. You can't control all the excesses, the guys who work with good practices and those who don't, it's easier and safer to require some clear rules from everybody.
Last, I am not sure every customer in those restaurants are aware of those practices...and I'm not sure every food service industry are ok with these rules in Europe!
that's just my opinion, because I have worked for years in these 'industries' and restaurants, just in Europe, so if I'm wrong with the rest of the world, iif you don't agree with me do not hesitate!
Regards,
Emmanuel.