Do you ever think about your freezer? Most of us just open the door and toss in our frozen foods, yet food borne illnesses strikes roughly 48 million Americans yearly, and much of that has to do with poor food storage procedures. When you consider how many different types of food we keep in our freezers (yes, even that frozen meat full of ice crystals), you may reconsider exactly how you’re using your freezer space. From meats, desserts, crock pot leftovers, and peas for swollen knees and sore necks, freezing keeps our foods mostly safe.
Yet, are you taking the proper steps to maintain frozen food safety:
1. Temperature
The recommended temperature for freezing food is easy, it’s 0 degrees Fahrenheit or colder. And keeping foods below 0 ensures their safety. The issues arise when thawing frozen foods. For instance, bacteria is ripe for sticking to foods as we thaw them for consumption.While you may safely thaw certain foods (i.e., baked goods and bread) at room temperature on your counter, you should never do so with frozen meat. Instead use the fridge or microwave and a covered container to safely thaw meat, or thaw it in a pinch by running cool water over it. You can also move your meat to the refrigerator to let it thaw. Also, thawed meat should always be fully cooked immediately and consumed fully within a few days. Don’t re-freeze.
2. Pay attention to expiry dates
The expiry dates on any food packaging is very important. In fact, most foods have consumption, if frozen by, and safe handling instructions. A good rule of thumb is ice crystals on frozen foods. If you can see crystals forming, chances are the food was either thawed and refrozen (which is dangerous) or partially dethawed (equally dangerous).
4. Freezing foods for the long-term
We often freeze foods for a long time (I’m looking at you frozen turkey), which means we plan to thaw and eat them a long time off. To keep those foods safe, store in an airtight container or plastic zip bag and store them in the coldest areas of your freezer. Keep in mind, even though freezing keeps food long term, after a few months the taste may diminish.
5. Storage
When it comes to safely storing frozen foods, you have a few options. Consider airtight containers, freezer bags with zip closures, and vacuum sealed bags (which compress any air out completely).
