Can the meat be refrozen after thawing? | The State
Keep meats together on one side of the freezer or on a tray so that if they start to thaw, their juices don’t get to other foods.
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Kropekk_pl / Pixabay
Although it is generally attempted to defrost only the amount necessary for the occasion, at some point you can defrost extra meat and need refreeze it. It may also happen that a blackout. Is it safe to refreeze meat? Yes, but not in all cases.
Refreezing meat when you shouldn’t, not only affects the taste and overall quality of the product, you may be prone to having a food poisoning.
When is it safe to refreeze meat
Once the food is defrost in the refrigerator (working), is safe to refreeze without cooking. After cooking raw foods that were previously frozen, it is also safe to freeze cooked food.
No food should be re-frozen that I have left out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours or during 1 hour in temperatures above 90 ° F.
If there was a blackout?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say you can safely refreeze thawed foods if they still have ice crystals or if they are at a temperature 40 ° F or less.
If the doors remain closed, food will be safe for a maximum of 48 hours in a full freezer and 24 hours in a half full freezer.
In a blackout, if the meat it was not frozen (was refrigerated) and has been preserved for above 40 ° F for more than 2 hours is not safe for consumption and must discarded according to FoodSafety.gov
After 4 hours without electricity, should be Discard perishable foods that were not kept on ice or other cold source 40 ° F or below. Examples of these foods are beef, poultry, fish, eggs, and leftovers.
Discard any food that has been contaminated by raw meat juices.
Is cooked cooked meat safe to refreeze? Same as with raw meat. If cooked food is thawed in the refrigerator, it can also be refrozen. Remember that leftovers must be frozen within a period of no more than 3 to 4 days after preparation.
How long to keep meat in the freezer
Food that is refrozen may decrease in quality due to moisture that is lost when defrosted.
Frozen food is safe indefinitely. For purposes of quality it is recommended that the raw meat, steaks, or chops stay in the freezer for 4 to 12 months; raw ground meat, 3 to 4 months; cooked meat for 2 to 3 months; whole raw birds 12 months; birds in parts 9 months; giblets from 3 to 4 months old and cooked poultry for 3 to 4 months.
The raw meats and poultry maintain their quality for longer than when frozen after cooking because moisture is lost during cooking.
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