Frozen foods are practical and widely used, but require specific care during thawing to ensure food safety. Many people are tempted to leave food thawing on the kitchen counter, a method that should never be used for perishable foods.
This practice of thawing food, especially raw meat, at room temperature is considered unsafe because it allows bacteria present in the food to multiply rapidly during the gradual thawing process.
Some bacteria can produce toxins during this process, and some of these toxins can be heat-resistant, meaning they are not necessarily destroyed by subsequent cooking of the food.
