When in doubt, return it to the store. Food safety experts recommend thawing frozen food in the refrigerator, in a microwave oven, or by putting the food in a self-sealing plastic bag immersed in cold water. This later method requires constant attention as you will need to change the cold water every 30 minutes. Follow your owners manual for defrosting in the microwave and once thawed, cook immediately. Never thaw meat, poultry, fish, or seafood on the countertop or in the sink without cold water.
Bacteria can multiply rapidly at room temperature.
Don't cook any food that has a strong, unpleasant odor. Food Handling Safety Wash hands thoroughly with hot soapy water before and after handling any raw food. Avoid boards made of soft, porous materials. Since we sometimes cook most of the day when we're developing recipes for this site or one of our cookbooks, we keep a ready-supply of this solution in a spray bottle near the kitchen sink. Always thoroughly wash and dry any knives or other utensils after using them for raw foods, such as poultry, before using them for another food, raw or cooked.