How many times can food be defrosted and frozen again? Can leftovers go from the fridge to the freezer? We asked experts to answer your questions about freezer food safety.
For many of us, freezers serve as a sort of black hole for our leftovers and miscellaneous food items. Everything from half-eaten cartons of ice cream to Thanksgiving leftovers tend to find a home in the freezer—sometimes indefinitely.
This rule is especially important with foods that require refrigeration or freezing—such as raw meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, and fresh produce—which should not “sit at room temperature for more than two hours—one hour if the air temperature is above 90°F,” according to the FDA. If you want to be extra safe, you can wait until the food is 130°F and/or split hot food into “smaller, four-inch containers, which allow for proper airflow and heat dissipation,” Schneider says.
Proper packaging preserves quality by avoiding freezer burn or other chemical changes, Schneider says. But when it comes to food safety, he adds, “If it’s 38°F no pathogens are going to grow.” Case in point: “I found a filet mignon that I had—I wasn't going to throw it away—for two years, and it was vacuum sealed, and it was tasty.”
If time isn’t an issue, refrigerators are ideal for thawing in a safe, constant temperature, according to the FDA. But, they add, “if you need an item immediately, opt to cook foods from the frozen state.”Defrosting and refreezing requires care, according to experts. Every time you defrost an item, it enters the “danger” temperature zone where microbes can start to grow and produce toxins.
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