Meat is thawing in failing freezer. Can it be refrozen? [duplicate]

Freezer is failing and meat is thawing. Still refrigerator temp cold. Is it safe to refreeze?

food-safety

Best Answer

Safe? As long as you the temperature has stayed below 40 degrees F, sure.

On the other hand, the lifespan is probably reduced. Also, it will likely dry out more when it is cooked. When meat is frozen, ice crystals poke holes in cell membranes. When you thaw meat and see liquid pooling, that's where it has come from. If you thaw and refreeze meat, you are repeating the membrane puncturing.

On the other other hand (as it were), if the meat has managed to be well insulated, well wrapped, and towards the center of the thawing mass (and you have managed to be a little bit lucky), it might still be frozen, so any new damage might be minimized.

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Quick Answer about "Meat is thawing in failing freezer. Can it be refrozen? [duplicate]"

Information. If raw or cooked food is thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze it without cooking or heating, although there may be a loss of quality due to the moisture lost through thawing.

Can you refreeze thawed meat twice?

The U. S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) advises: Once food is thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze it without cooking, although there may be a loss of quality due to the moisture lost through thawing. After cooking raw foods which were previously frozen, it is safe to freeze the cooked foods.

What happens if meat is frozen twice?

Refreezing meat can be done safely, but the quality of the meat may be affected. For example, freezing and thawing meat more than one time might cause color and odor changes, moisture loss, and increased oxidation of its fat and protein ( 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ).

What meat can be refrozen after being defrosted?

Myth 1: if you've defrosted frozen meat or chicken you can't refreeze it. From a safety point of view, it is fine to refreeze defrosted meat or chicken or any frozen food as long as it was defrosted in a fridge running at 5\xb0C or below.

Can You Refreeze Thawed Meat?

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