UK households have been issued a warning about cooking popular high-protein staples such as sausages, chicken, and mince. While these items are weekly shop favourites, improper handling can lead to foodborne illnesses.
Why You Should Not Cook These Foods From Frozen
Consumer experts at Which? have highlighted that certain foods should never be cooked directly from frozen. Freezing food is a convenient way to reduce waste and save money, but not all items can skip the defrosting process.
Chicken
According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), cooking raw chicken from frozen can result in uneven cooking, allowing bacteria such as salmonella and campylobacter to survive. However, this does not apply to products like chicken nuggets or burgers, which are designed to be cooked from frozen — always check the packaging.
Sausages
If you buy refrigerated sausages in bulk, divide them into portions before freezing. They must be fully defrosted before cooking to prevent uneven results and food safety hazards.
Mince
Mince should always be thoroughly defrosted before preparation. Failing to do so can leave certain areas undercooked, increasing the risk of food poisoning.
How to Defrost Meat Safely
The FSA and NHS advise defrosting chicken in the fridge at 5°C or below, which may take 24 hours or more. If pressed for time, use your microwave's defrost function. Ensure no ice crystals remain and that the chicken is piping hot — 75°C throughout if using a thermometer.
Sausages can also be defrosted in the microwave if cooked immediately, or in the fridge if consumed within two days. The same applies to mince. When cooking, ensure they are steaming hot all the way through.
