Defrosting

Rascal

I've read that defrosting meat, poultry, fish, etc. in a vacuum sealed environment can be dangerous (even in the fridge), yet I often read of people doing it.  Any thoughts out there?? 

nolaegghead

You're probably talking about botulism toxin.  The toxin is created by Clostridium botulinum which grow in anaerobic (oxygen free), non-acidic environments.  Foodsaver or cryovac wrapped foods are relatively anaerobic, but I've not heard of this being a problem. 

I have heard of this being a problem when people store food, such as raw garlic, under virgin olive oil, which has a very neutral pH.  The problem can be prevented by adding some acid (lemon juice, vinegar) or by using a more acidic oil - like regular non-virgin olive oil.

BigWader

I'm not a microbiologist but I know that the colder the temp the slower bacteria grow - or not at all.  And most bacteria are aerobic (need oxygen to thrive).  A vacuum sealed package kind of takes care of the oxygen part and if you can defrost in the cold - all the better.

So refrigerated defrosting is always the safest, followed by rapid defrosting in a water bath (change water every 20-30 min) or *shudder* in a microwave. 

The other thing to keep in mind is that bad bacteria would need to be on your meat (contaminated) in the first place for them to be a problem in the long run.

The exception to aerobic bacteria is botulism - which loves anaerobic (without oxygen) but I think needs a food source different from meat (like carbs in vegetables/spices/dairy) to really get going. 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

A true "Vacuum" is an anaerobic environment (no oxygen at all). The biggest fear of vacuum packed foods is botulism. Botulinum toxin needs an anaerobic environment to exist.

so, If you are talking about stuff sealed with a food saver, there are normal levels of oxygen in there so you really don't have to worry. If you are talking about a true commercially packed cryovac package, that is anaerobic. I would not defrost in cryo (simply cut it open and you are set) but that is out of an abundance of caution. Canned goods are another common preservation method where botulism can flourish if you are not careful. The scary thing about botulism is that it is tasteless and odorless and extremely toxic.

Anything you seal at home in a food saver is perfectly safe to defrost in.