Pizza is a great part of a meal. Many people around the world love pizza. However, there are many questions that surface around this food. One of which is whether or not something happens if frozen pizza is thawed.
In this post, let me share with you some facts about pizza. Although everyone knows what it is, I think people are interested in knowing about the proper storing of the food.
So, what happens if frozen pizza thawed? Well, if pizza is thawed for a couple of hours before putting it in the oven, nothing significant happens. Except, it gradually increases its temperature. As it reaches room temperature, you can cook it in the oven. But if pizza is thawed for more than two hours, it should be cooked thoroughly under high temperatures to kill the bacteria.
Many people though recommend that you directly put the pizza straight into the oven from the freezer without being thawed. There are good reasons for this. One is food safety.
If you cook the frozen pizza straight to the oven, it eliminates the danger of bacterial contamination. This is because when food is thawed, there is a chance that it can acquire bacteria from many sources.
Another reason might be that unthawed pizza is a lot easier to handle. You won’t be making a mess because everything is intact.
Is It Dangerous to Thaw a Pizza Before Cooking in the Oven?
As mentioned, there is no real danger in thawing a frozen pizza before cooking it in the oven. In my experience, I always like to thaw a frozen pizza before cooking it. But only for a few minutes and not more than two hours. This is to prevent the bacteria to accumulate.
Thawing helps the pizza cooks faster. It is because it already at room temperature. Frozen pizza takes a longer time to cook in the oven due to its low temperature.
If you want to add some toppings to it, it will add to the total cooking time. This means that the more toppings you add, the longer it takes to cook especially if unthawed.
The main reason why some people don’t like thawing frozen pizza before cooking is because of the possible bacterial contamination. Especially today that we are in the middle of the pandemic, everyone wants to be safe.
Thawing increases the temperature usually from 32 degrees Fahrenheit to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes food vulnerable to bacterial contamination. It allows the bacteria to spread quickly.
However, although the worry has a basis, it should not bother you if you cook the frozen pizza correctly. Cooking it at a high temperature until it bubbles and the crust turned golden, you will be okay.
There is nothing to worry about bacterial contamination. The main purpose of cooking is to kill the pathogens that are potentially taking refuge in raw food.
How Long Can Frozen Pizza Be Left Out?
There are contending opinions out there as to how long can a frozen pizza be left out. To answer this question, it is important to remember how fast bacteria can populate the food.
It only takes about 2-4 hours for the bacteria to spread. This means that if you leave a frozen pizza a room temperature for so long, it will not be safe to eat.
Another thing to remember is that heating food may not kill all the bacteria. Therefore, heating does not resolve the safety issue totally. So the best thing you can do is to never leave a frozen pizza for more than 2 hours before consuming it.
When a pizza reaches room temperature for so long, it is guaranteed that the bacteria were already populated in the food. Some people considered it in a danger zone.
This means that if you thawed a frozen pizza for a couple of hours, do not eat it until it is cooked at a high temperature. This is to make sure that the food is safer to eat than eating it without heating.
So, how long can a frozen pizza be left out? I’d say up to 2 hours maximum. This is for safety purposes. I know some people would disagree with this. But it is always better to take the safer route especially when it comes to food.
Lastly, do not refreeze thawed pizza without cooking. This is because more bacteria might already have spread throughout the pizza. Refreezing it will not kill the bacteria.
If you have pizza that had been thawed for several hours, it is a good idea to throw it away. As mentioned, it is always ideal to take the safer route.
How Long Can Frozen Pizza Sit in Car?
A frozen pizza is not safe after 2 hours outside the safe zone. The safest way to preserve the food is in the freezer. Leaving frozen pizza in the car is not a good idea. It needs to be heated before 2 hours to prevent bacterial contamination.
Therefore, a frozen pizza can sit in a car for only about 1 to 2 hours. Longer than that, it should be reheated.
Final Thoughts
Thawing pizza before cooking it is a good idea. It helps the pizza to be cooked faster because the temperature is already increased.
However, thawing pizza for several hours is not a good idea. This is because it increases the chance of developing bacterial contamination.
If you thaw a frozen pizza, do not eat it until it is cooked. Make sure to heat it preferably at a high temperature to make it safe to eat.
Related Questions
Can you cook a fresh pizza from frozen?
Yes, you can put a frozen pizza directly into the oven. But the most common practice is to thaw the frozen pizza first before eating.
How do you cook a fresh pizza that has been frozen?
You can cook a frozen pizza unthawed or thaw. You can just lay the pizza on a pan and bake it until the crust turns golden or brownish. This usually takes about 10 minutes.
How long does it take to cook a frozen pizza?
The cooking duration of frozen pizza generally depends on the temperature being applied. For instance, if you set it to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, it takes about 15-20 minutes to cook a frozen pizza.
Does reheating pizza kill bacteria?
It is important to remember that not all bacteria are created equal. They have different temperature requirements before they could be killed. In most cases though, heating food over 165 degrees Fahrenheit kills bacteria.
