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Know special food requirements for groups and individuals / Know how to handle and store food safely

Case Study

Stefan is at home with his young children, and his wife has left him a menu for the day. He checks the menu and realises he should have taken the chicken out of the freezer to defrost early that morning. He knows the children should eat about noon but it is now 10 .30. He gets the chicken out, lays it in individual portions in an oven dish, covers it with cling film and lets it defrost on the kitchen window sill in the sun. It is a very warm day so within an hour the chicken is fully defrosted. Just in time to be cooked for a 12 o’clock meal. Stefan is delighted and pops the chicken in the oven after sprinkling it with oil and garlic. By 12, when his wife comes home, the dinner is well on its way. When the children come in to eat, the 4 year old says he is grateful that the sun melted the chicken so they could have dinner. His mum asks some questions about what he means and she is horrified at what Stefan has done.
  1. What should they do about the chicken?
  2. What might the risks be in eating it?
  3. Are there any risks, if it was defrosted properly like this and then cooked thoroughly?
It is rare that there is just one way to respond to a scenario or situation, so do not consider that the response you have chosen to this scenario will be judged as right or wrong. Share your scenario with a work colleague and ask them to tell you if they think you have responded appropriately. Ask them to challenge your response if necessary. You do not need to submit this task for assessment unless asked to do so by your tutor.