What problems can I get with repeated freezing?
The biggest concerns about freezing thawed food are usually of a health nature: When it is slow Thawing and warming food, it is possible that harmful germs can settle on the products to settle. This can spoil the food and become a health hazard for those who eat it.
Depending on the type of product, the risk of damage to health from repeatedly thawed food is relatively low. In the product groups described below, there are major differences in the expected bacterial load:
- prepared dishes (self-cooked or finished product)
- raw foods
- Food that is eaten without being cooked beforehand
also read
- Frozen yoghurt: preserve yoghurt by freezing it
- Preserving leftovers: Cooked pasta can be frozen
- Freezing Lasagna - Step-by-Step Instructions and Tips
Does the product quality suffer after repeated thawing?
The answer to this question is clearly yes. Freezing damages the cell structure of the food, which means that fruits, for example, are often mushy after thawing. The second freezing and thawing, this effect increases, which is why the food is often unsightly. The taste of many products also suffers from repeated thawing.
Freeze prepared dishes again
Regardless of whether it is a frozen meal that has been bought ready-made or food prepared at home: the remains of what has already been thawed Meals can be re-frozen without any problems if the dish is reheated sufficiently before consumption will. Possibly contained harmful germs are killed in the oven, saucepan or microwave, so that there is no health risk when consumed.
Before repeated freezing, you should make sure that the food does not remain unrefrigerated for more than two hours. In this way you can also prevent the formation of germs.
Please note that prepared dishes in particular lose a lot of their aroma when they are thawed repeatedly.
Re-freeze raw foods
Would you like to cook the defrosted food before consuming it? Then there is no health risk from repeated freezing. If you want to eat fruits or vegetables raw, it is important to ensure that the first and each subsequent thawing process ensure that no germs can settle on the food: The fruit or vegetables must always remain refrigerated, including in the refrigerator thawing. Animal products that have been thawed repeatedly should not be consumed raw due to the health risk in the event of germ contamination.
Most fruits and vegetables suffer so much from their structure due to their high water content that the defrosted fruits appear unsavory.
Freeze food that remains unheated
Frozen food that is not heated before consumption should not be left unrefrigerated for more than two hours if you want to refreeze it. Otherwise, the risk of an increased bacterial load is high. For the sake of your health, however, you should use such foods, especially if they contain ingredients of animal origin (for example ice cream or biscuits), for safety's sake not again freeze.
The garden journal freshness-ABC
How can fruit & vegetables be stored correctly so that they stay fresh as long as possible?
The garden journal freshness ABC as a poster:
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