Be safe - dealing with thawed food

What do you deal with food that has thawed in your fridge or freezer? After food has thawed, it becomes more vulnerable to spoilage than food that was never frozen.  

You can't simply re-freeze food that is thawed. You can, however, cook it again - thoroughly- and then freeze it. Much of the contents of my freezer is going into soup today and I will freeze this in small portions.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency provides the following advice:

Handling refrigerated and frozen food during a power failure

• Freezing stops the growth of bacteria.  Do not open the refrigerator or freezer door unless absolutely necessary in order to maintain the cold temperature.
  • A full freezer will keep food frozen for about 48 hours. A freezer that is half full will keep food frozen for about 24 hours.
  • An unopened refrigerator will keep food cold for about 4 hours.
  • If available, add ice to the refrigerator to keep the food at a safe temperature if the power will be out for long periods of time.
• Do not place frozen food outside, even in winter. The sun's rays could thaw frozen food even when the outdoor temperature is very cold, and animals could contaminate your food.
• If you know that a power failure will last for a long period of time, see if you can take the food to a friend nearby who has power.

Handling refrigerated and frozen food after a power failure

• Discard any thawed food that has been at room temperature for two or more hours, and any food that has an obvious unusual colour or odour.  Keep in mind that food contaminated with bacteria does not necessarily smell bad or appear spoiled.
• Food that still contains ice crystals or feels refrigerator-cold can be re-frozen.
• If raw food has leaked during thawing, clean and disinfect the areas the food has touched. Do not reuse the cloths you have used for clean-up until they have been disinfected by washing in hot water.

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/food/information-for-consumers/fact-sheets-and-infographics/food-handling/emergency/eng/1331578972167/1331579901110