Section 410IAC7-24-199. Thawing of food

   (a) Except as specified in subdivision (4), potentially hazardous food shall be thawed:

(1) under refrigeration that maintains the food temperature at forty-one (41) degrees Fahrenheit or less or at forty-five (45) degrees Fahrenheit or less as specified under section 187(a)(2)(B) of this rule;

(2) completely submerged under running water:

(A) at a water temperature of seventy (70) degrees Fahrenheit or below;

(B) with sufficient water velocity to agitate and float off loose particles in an overflow;

(C) for a period of time that does not allow thawed portions of ready-to-eat food to rise above forty-one (41) degrees Fahrenheit or forty-five (45) degrees Fahrenheit as specified under section 187(a)(2)(B) of this rule; or

(D) for a period of time that does not allow thawed portions of a raw animal food requiring cooking as specified under section 182(a) or 182(b) of this rule to be above forty-one (41) degrees Fahrenheit or forty-five (45) degrees Fahrenheit as specified under section 187(a)(2) of this rule, for more than four (4) hours including the time:

(i) the food is exposed to the running water and the time needed for preparation for cooking; or

(ii) it takes under refrigeration to lower the food temperature to forty-one (41) degrees Fahrenheit or forty-five (45) degrees Fahrenheit as specified under section 187(a)(2)(B) of this rule;

(3) as part of a cooking process if the food that is frozen is:

(A) cooked as specified under section 182(a), 182(b), or 183 of this rule; or

(B) thawed in a microwave oven and immediately transferred to conventional cooking equipment with no interruption in the process; or

(4) using any procedure if a portion of frozen ready-to-eat food is thawed and prepared for immediate service in response to an individual consumer's order.

  (b) For purposes of this section, a violation of subsection (a) is a noncritical item. (Indiana State Department of Health; 410 IAC 7-24-199; filed Oct 13, 2004, 12:30 p.m.: 28 IR 861; errata filed Dec 13, 2004, 8:20 a.m.: 28 IR 1485; readopted filed Jul 15, 2010, 12:12 p.m.: 20100728-IR-410100261RFA; readopted filed Nov 10, 2016, 8:45 a.m.: 20161207-IR-410160371RFA)