Food safety, nutrition and food security are inextricably linked.  According to a 2022 report by the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 600 million – almost 1 in 10 people in the world – fall ill after eating contaminated food and 420,000 die every year.  Improper food thawing can be a major contributor to food borne illness and teaching individuals how to thaw food properly can greatly decrease the incidence of contamination and illness

One Parent Scholar House (OPSH) is an organization in Lexington, Kentucky that helps single parents earn a post-secondary education by providing affordable housing for their families.  The Fayette County Nutrition Education Program (NEP) Assistant had an opportunity in the Summer of 2023 to present lessons from the Healthy Choices For Every Body curriculum and correct methods for thawing food were covered in detail.  We discussed the safest methods for thawing food (refrigerator, cold water, microwave, and cooking without thawing) and some of the participants commented that they had never been told that thawing food at room temperature on the counter can be a food safety hazard.

According to the evaluation completed at the end of the 7 week class, participants showed a 100% improvement in thawing their food at room temperature less often.  It is hoped that by utilizing correct thawing practices, these individuals and their families will greatly decrease likelihood of contracting a food borne illness due to improperly thawed foods.