Defrosted leftovers killed a family in China - here’s how to defrost your food safely
Following the news that a family in China died painful deaths soon after sharing leftovers, experts have weighed in with the essential knowledge that might have saved them.
Freezing your food is a great way to save time later, make the most of your food shops, and minimise household waste.
As with all things food, however, there are some essentials to keep in mind to prevent it from making you ill.
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In October 2020, a family in China began their day by eating leftover Suantangzi, a homemade meal made with thick noodles fermented in corn flour.
The meal had been in the freezer for a year, and it was eaten to commemorate a national holiday.
Of the 12 people at the table, only nine ate the dish. It was three younger family members who refused it, saying it had an odd flavour.
Sadly, those who ate the noodles soon fell horribly ill. They were afflicted with nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps, and all soon checked into a hospital.
Despite the best efforts of the doctors and nurses there, all nine died in the following days.
Upon investigating how this had happened, authorities determined it was the fermented noodle soup that had proved fatal for the family.
Apparently, being frozen and then defrosted spoiled the noodles and created a high concentration of bongkrekic acid – a deadly poison.
This acid was found in both the noodles and the deceased’s gastric fluid.
This deadly respiratory toxin kills 40 to 100% of people who eat food contaminated with it, and it’s most commonly formed in fermented foods that have been improperly stored or preserved.
Scary, right? Thankfully, experts have weighed in with advice on how to ensure you defrost food safely.
How to defrost your food safely
"When thawing frozen food, it's best to plan ahead and thaw in the refrigerator where it will remain at a safe, constant temperature — at 40°F (4°C) or below,” said the US Department of Agriculture.
It continued: "Perishable foods should never be thawed on the counter, or in hot water and must not be left at room temperature for more than two hours.
"There are three safe ways to thaw food: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in the microwave."
In the fridge
This method requires a little pre-planning, particularly where meat is concerned.
If you’re thawing meat in the fridge, it usually requires 24 hours to fully and safely defrost. From there, it can be cooked as normal.
It’s worth noting that fridges aren’t necessarily a consistent temperature from top to bottom. After all, heat rises, even if there’s only a little bit of it.
In cold water
If you forgot to get the chicken out of the freezer last night, there’s a quicker way to safely defrost meat than using a fridge,
First, place the frozen meat in a leak-proof bag to keep water and bacteria out. A freezer bag should do the trick, and of course you shouldn’t use any kind of insulated packaging here.
Next, submerge the bag in cold tap water – definitely not warm or hot water – and change it every half hour.
Depending on the size and thickness of the cut, your meat will take anywhere between one and four hours to fully defrost.
In the microwave
The final method is to do it in a microwave.
Microwaves heat from the inside out, so you shouldn’t find yourself with any frozen bits left in the middle.
The trouble is that the defrosting heat can begin the cooking process, so you need to cook food immediately after it’s been defrosted in a microwave.
It’s best to do it with short microwave cycles so you can check the progress and adjust the timer accordingly.
Rachael Davis