# How seriously should I take this warning about defrosting vacuum-sealed fish?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-seriously-should-i-take-this-warning-about-defrosting-vacuum-sealed-fish/1031827>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** food-cooking\
**Created:** [July 21, 2026, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-seriously-should-i-take-this-warning-about-defrosting-vacuum-sealed-fish/1031827 "2026-07-21T14:09:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-seriously-should-i-take-this-warning-about-defrosting-vacuum-sealed-fish/1031827/21 "2026-07-21T18:05:07Z")

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It’s also not a great way to cook fish. Fish is done when it’s really not hot enough to be safe, so you don’t want to hold it at that temp too long.

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**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-seriously-should-i-take-this-warning-about-defrosting-vacuum-sealed-fish/1031827/22 "2026-07-21T19:18:23Z")

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I am NOT talking about sous vide-ing fish.

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**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-seriously-should-i-take-this-warning-about-defrosting-vacuum-sealed-fish/1031827/23 "2026-07-21T19:32:02Z")

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You’re not, but she is, and you talked about whether the risk is statistically significant without qualifying your comment. Hence, I assumed you were basing your comments on her specific warnings.

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**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\
**Post date:** [July 22, 2026, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-seriously-should-i-take-this-warning-about-defrosting-vacuum-sealed-fish/1031827/24 "2026-07-22T00:57:13Z")

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> [@LSLGuy](#):
>
> Decent bet substantially _every_ portion of vacuum-packed frozen fish is thawed in the sealed pouch.

I almost always thaw it in the sealed pouch (usually for a few hours in the fridge, occasionally under warm running water) for the simple reason that I grab a few pieces out of the bag in the freezer without consulting the instructions on the bag.

Usually what happens is that later I remember I was supposed to remove the vacuum seal packaging before thawing, but by then it’s too late.

I’d always assumed the reason for removing the packaging had to do with quality of the final product; I know that manufacturers/chefs are usually adamant that you should do a slow refrigerator thaw, not a quick run-it-under-warm-water thaw.

I try very hard not to buy that stuff anyway, as the packaging seems so wasteful. But it’s hard to entirely resist the urge to get it on occasion; so healthy and convenient. Of course, the reason I never remember the thawing instructions is because I buy fish that way so rarely.

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