Why can't you thaw meat at room temperature? I do. Will it do anything to me or my kids?
Frozen meats should never be defrosted at room temperature. When foods are defrosted at room temperature the surface of the food can quickly warm up above 4C/40F. If held above this temperature for more than two hours, the potential for harmful microorganisms or their toxins to multiply increases, which can lead to foodborne illness when consumed. Those at highest risk for foodborne illness include infants and young children, pregnant woman, older adults and people with weakened immune systems.
What's the best way to thaw meat? My boyfriend thawed some pork and steak in the microwave 3 days ago -- good idea or bad?
The safest way to thaw meat is in a refrigerator. When defrosting by microwave, food often starts to cook, creating warm spots where bacteria could potentially grow. It is therefore recommended that food defrosted in a microwave be cooked immediately. It can then be consumed or stored in the fridge for later use.
My wife thawed a quantity of ground beef, made spaghetti sauce, and the rest she made into hamburgers and refroze them. Are they safe to eat?
It is not recommended to completely thaw meat and then refreeze it; the quality of the product may be affected. The best recommendation is to completely cook the meat and then freeze.
I defrosted my chest freezer. Then, I put all the still frozen food back. It was 3/4 full. Unfortunately, I forgot to switch the freezer back on. What, if any, foods are safe to refreeze; or should I throw it all out?
How frustrating to find the freezer not on! In determining what to keep and what to throw out, I am concerned that you didn't check all the food before you turned the freezer back on and the freezer was warm, acting more like a cooler then a freezer. In general discard all food that thawed completely and was held at temperatures warmer that 40F (4C) for more than two hours. Again, this may be difficult to determine if you do not know how warm the freezer got while it was off.
However, here are some guidelines to help determine what you should keep and what to throw away but remember, “If in doubt, throw it out!”
- Do not refreeze highly perishable foods such as fish, seafood, melted ice cream, cream pies or custard fill pastries.
- Meat can be refrozen if it feels firm, contains ice crystals or is partially frozen. Rigid containers have to be opened and inspected for adequate ice crystals.
- If meat packages look like meat juices have leaked through - discard. Discard any foods that have been contaminated by raw meat juices from other packages.
- Refreeze vegetables only if they have plenty of ice crystals present.
- Strong acid fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries plus uncooked fruit pies, unfrosted cakes, bread and rolls, may be frozen.
Grandma keeps her water bottles and then uses them over.... is it okay to keep re-freezing your water in the bottle?
If your grandma is reusing plastic bottles which contained bottled water there may be some concern about chemicals leaching. Most bottled water bottles are made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and are approved for single use only. The long term safety of these bottles has not been established. But the greatest concern may be from bacteria re-growth as they are hard to clean. If you do reuse them, wash with detergent, rinse with clean water and then clean by pouring hot water into the bottles. Thoroughly dry between uses. For further information on bottled water read, CFIA Fact Sheet: Food Safety Facts on Bottled Water;Health Canada: Questions and Answers on Bottled Water.
How many times can I cook and refreeze leftover pasta sauce? The sauce includes beef and pork. The sauce was cooked, then frozen, defrosted, then cooked again. Can I refreeze leftovers one more time?
Refreezing leftovers more than one time is not a safe practice. Your leftover pasta sauce should be frozen and reheated only once. The key is to freeze in several small portions rather than one large batch and take out only what you need. When you do reheat the frozen sauce, be sure to bring it to a boil before serving.
I made homemade chicken stock about two months ago and froze it. At the beginning of this week, I made a delicious tortilla soup with the frozen stock. Do I have to use all the soup now or can I re-freeze it, even though the base has already been previously frozen?
If the stock was handled correctly i.e., thawed in the refrigerator, not left out at room temperature for long periods of time, using it in a soup and refreezing the soup is fine. Once made, the soup requires refrigeration and should not be stored longer than 2 to 3 days. I recommend freezing in batch or meal sizes, thawing the soup in the refrigerator and reheating only once to a piping hot temperature of 74C (165F). The soup can be stored in the freezer for 4 months.
Can I refreeze melted ice cream? Is it safe to eat ice cream after it has melted and then been refrozen?
No, it is not recommended to eat thawed ice cream. Ice cream is a perishable food product that needs to be kept frozen. If it was left at room temperature for longer than two hours and/or thawed in a freezer that lost power it may have spoiled and/or may harbour microorganisms that cause foodborne illness. Also the taste and texture of the ice cream after refreezing may not be palatable.
How long can I store food in the fridge and then freeze it?
Look at Mrs. Cookwell’s handy refrigerator and freezer storage chart, food items should be in the fridge no longer then the recommended storage time before freezing.
I received a gift of a 7lb can of cherry pie filling and some hot fudge chocolate. Can I freeze them after opening the cans? What is the best way to do it, and how long can I use it for?
To safely freeze the remaining cherry pie filling package in recipe size containers. Seal, date, freeze, and use within 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and use immediately. The chocolate sauce once opened can be stored in the refrigerator in a new, clean container up to 6 months. Do not store the sauce in the original can. Long term storage can be obtained by freezing but the thawed product may separate or become grainy upon thawing. Separation may also occur with the pie filling.
How long can food stay in the freezer?
Look at Mrs. Cookwell’s handy refrigerator and freezer storage chart.
Can I freeze fruits, vegetables, eggs, and dairy products?
Fruits and vegetables: Visit: Canadian Produce Marketing Association. In the 'Consumer' section, check out 'Home Freezing Guide' for fruits and vegetables.
Dairy Products: (Butter, Cheese, Yogurt, Milk, Cream, Ice Cream). Visit: Dairy Farmers of Canada. Go to ‘Our Products’ and click on the product you are interested in. You will find storage information for that product in the section called, ‘How to enjoy it’.
Eggs Visit: Canadian Egg Marketing Agency. Go to Egg Facts section and then, "Egg Handling at Home"
Does freezer burn on a chicken that's been in the freezer for a month, mean it's unsafe to cook?
The chicken is safe to eat, but the areas with freezer burn will be dried out and tasteless and can be trimmed away, if desired. Your freezer burn has occured because the chicken was not freezer wrapped and sealed properly.
- Mayonnaise is not sterilized. Why doesn't it spoil during storage at room temperature before the jar is opened?
- The food manufacturer may use several ways to prevent spoilage. These may include: processing and addition of an acid or a preservative.
- My husband and I disagree about this so please help us...does mayonnaise and salad dressing (miracle whip) need to be refrigerated after opening? If so, why? Also what about soy sauce and ketchup? Should they also be refrigerated after opening? Thank you.
- Microorganisms that are responsible for food spoilage and foodborne illness do not have taste buds and will use almost any source of food to grow. Mayonnaise products require refrigeration once opened; salad dressing also requires refrigeration unless otherwise stated on the label. Ketchup once opened may be left at room temperature but the product can only remain open for 1 month; if stored in the refrigerator it can remain open for 6 months. Refer to the bottle of soy sauce for proper storage conditions once opened.
- Hi! Can I cook a 4 kg piece of meat completely frozen? If not, why? Thanks!
- You could cook the meat from frozen but for best results, it is best to thaw in the refrigerator or in the microwave oven. If cooking from frozen, it will be difficult to determine how long the roast will take to cook properly. As always, the best way to ensure that the meat is cooked thoroughly is to check with a thermometer. Check the charts on my website to determine the recommended internal temperature for doneness.
- I have a package of unopened vaccum-packed smoked salmon that has an expiry date of Aug 2005 in the fridge. Since it's smoked is it still not safe to eat?
- I would discard the salmon. The product should be consumed before the best before date.
- I cooked spaghetti sauce 2 days ago and have left it in the bottom of fridge,how long before it's bad????
- It depends. However, I woud recommend to use that sauce within 2 days after preparing it or if you want to extended its shelf like put it in the freezer. It should keep then for 2 to 3 months.
- How long can blueberries, strawberries and raspberries be frozen? Thank you
- Recommended storage time for berries is 4 to 6 months.
- How long will fresh battered fish stay good in the freezer?
- Fresh battered fish would stay good for up to six months in the freezer.
- why is it unsafe to re freeze defrosted food?
- It depends! If the food has been thawed in the refrigerator and still shows some ice crystals or is very cold to the touch, you may refreeze it. There might be a loss of quality once you thawed it again. If the food has been thawed by any other means (cold water, microwaves, longer period of time in the refrigerator, etc.), it is preferable to cook it thoroughly before refreezing it or serve it right away.
- if i bought fresh fish at the market and it was wrapped in plastic and paper and it went straight into my fridge, is it ok to leave it in that same plastic until the next day, and then cook?
- As long as the fish is well wrapped and not dripping on other food, the wrapper is fine. And yes, make sure that you cook it by the next day.
- How can I thaw prepared pasta dishes such as lasagna?
- The best way to thaw pasta dishes is in the refrigerator. You can leave them there until they are completely thawed without risking to forget them at room temperature overnight for exemple or more than 2 hours.. If you want them thawed faster, you can soak them in cold water in the kitchen sink and cahange water every 45 minutes. Refrigerate after. If you use the microwave oven to thaw your dish, you will have to cook them and serve them immediately or refrigerate them as soon as possible.
- Can Spaghetti Pie, a casserole with eggs be frozen?
- Yes, if the eggs have been mixed in with the other ingredients, it will be okay to freeze the spaghetti pie.
- Hi! Can we cook and prepare frozen foods, refreeze them and then thaw them again, warm them to be able to consume them?
- In general, yes you can cook food that has been frozen and then freeze that cooked food. And remember, always thaw food in the refrigerator and reheat thoroughly. Check out the fact sheets in my web site for information on temperature for safe doneness.
- The hydro company told us that power will be shut down between midnight and 6h30 am Tuesday June 13. I have a lot of frozen fishes (salmon fillets). If I leave them in the freezer part of the refrigerator, would it have time to thaw?
- The fish should remain frozen in the fridge's freezer compartment for those 6 to 7 hours. Keep the door shut and make sure the fish is in the centre of the freezer, not close to the door.
- Can I freeze some chicken broth in plastic containers that used to contain yogurt? Thanks
- Yes, the yogurt container can be used to freeze your chicken broth.
- Hi! What are exactly the risks to consume food that have been thawed and frozen again? How bad can we get sick?
- If the food has been thawed in the refrigerator and is refrozen within several days of thawing, it is safe to refreeze. There may loss of quality in the texture of the food. However, if the food has been defrosted by the cold water method or in the microwave, it is best to cook the food before refreezing.
Food must be kept at a safe temperature while it is being thawed. Foods are safe indefinitely while frozen. However, as soon as food begins to defrost and become warmer than 40 °F, any bacteria that may have been present before freezing can begin to multiply. That is why it is best to thaw food in the fridge and not on the counter. Even though the center of the package may still be frozen as it thaws on the counter, the outer layer of the food is in the "Danger Zone," between 40 and 140 °F – at temperatures where bacteria multiply rapidly.
- I left for the weekend & my Freezer door had been left open a crack... upon arrival all ice was melted & food thawed, but still cold - can I refreeze any items?
- If the food was completely thawed, I recommend discarding it. If it contained ice crystals, you could refreeze. The important thing to know is whether the temperature in the freezer reached higher temperature than 4ºC (refrigeration temperature). If it did and the food was in the danger zone temperature for more than two hours, it could be unsafe to consume. Even if the food felt cool but was completely thawed, I would be concerned about the safety. When in doubt, throw it out.
- I have cod that I bought from the store, it was in the freezer. I took it out and put in the fridge on Monday. It is Friday. Is it still good?
- You have left the cod too long in the refrigerator. It should have been cooked within 2 to 3 days of thawing.
- How long do you have once you have thawed something in the fridge before you cook it?
- First, thawing food in the refrigerator is the best way! It depends on the food, just how quickly you may have to cook it. Preferable it would be cooked as soon as possible once it is thawed. However, check out the storage chart on my website to provide a guideline of storage for a variety of foods.
- Hello: I partially defrosted a chicken for a few hours at room temperature maybe 30% thawed and then put it back in the fridge. However my refrigerator must have been too high and the chicken froze again. Is it safe to thaw this chicken and cook it? Thank you.
- I would recommend not to eat the chicken. It is not a safe procedure to thaw the chicken at room temperature. Thaw perishable foods such as chicken in the refrigerator.
- My question is: How can I freeze strawberries so that there is no water accumulation when I thaw them? Once frozen and thawed, there is always water in the container. Thanks!
- Yes, and there will always be water, juice or sugar syrup in the container. When strawberries are frozen, the moisture in the berries freeze into crystals which slightly damages the berries releasing more liquid.
- Can you refreeze strawberries after they are thawed?
- If the strawberries have been thawed in the fridge, they can be refrozen but there will be changes in texture and favour. Discard if there are any signs of spoilage.
- My chocolate biscuits have melted. Is it safe to put them in the fridge and then eat them?
- Yes, unless they have been handled before or during storage, your chocolate biscuits will be safe to store in the refrigerator.
- I thawed ground beef, used some and refroze the rest....Is it safe to use the refrozen meat? Thank you
- If the ground beef has been thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze part of it one time. Next time, divide your fresh beef in single use portions before freezing.
- How can I freeze blueberries?
- Blueberries are very easy to freeze. Simply sort through them to remove leaves, stems and immature or defective berries. Pack into containers, leaving 1 cm/1/2 inch headspace and freeze. Berries can also be frozen on a tray then packed into containers. Wash the berries before using.
- On principle : after cooking a frozen raw rabbit, is there a risk of freezing the leftover (roasted rabbit) cooked for approximately 2 hours? Thanks!
- It should be safe to freeze your leftover roasted rabbit if it was roasted to a safe temperature, the meat removed from the bones and refrigerated within one hour (two hours in the winter) of removing from the oven.
- Can I freeze a pizza bought at a pizza parlour and if not, how long would it keep?
- Yes you can freeze a take-out pizza as long as it is frozen within two hours. Pizza can be kept in the fridge as long as three days.
- How can we preserve green beans in the freezer?
- Wash beans in cold water; blanch in boiling water 3 minutes. Cool quickly; drain and package leaving 1 cm/1/2 in head space. Seal and freeze.
- How much time do I need to allow lasagna to defrost?
- I recommend putting the lasagne in the refrigerator the night before you are ready to cook it.
- Hi, My refigerator accidently froze some fresh beets and broccoli, is it ok to cook and eat them? Thank you!
- Yes, it is safe to consume the vegetables. You may find that they will not be as crisp or firm. Use as soon as possible.
- We have pork tenderloin that has been frozen for 2 years. Would it be hazardous to eat it and would it be good to the taste?
- Properly wrapped pork tenderloin should be stored in the freezer for no longer than one year. After that there would be loss of quality including taste but it would not be hazardous.
- My husband insists that it is OK to eat "left over" pizza in the morning, even though he left it sit in the box all night. I used to put it in the fridge for him, but I've given up now. He refuses to eat it once it has been in the fridge. This CAN'T be safe, can it?
- I say that your husband eats the leftover pizza, left out overnight, at his own risk. I recommend that no one else should eat it. I can only suggest that you provide him with the information about the two hour rule, found on my web site, and the risk of foodbourne illness if he continues to consume food that has been left out in the danger zone temperature for more than two hours.
- Can I still freeze fresh salmon that has been in the refrigerator for 3 days?
- Fresh fish like salmon that is kept in the refrigerator should be consumed in three to four days. In your case, it would be safe to put it in the freezer as long as the salmon has been kept refrigerated at all time.
- My wife thawed some chicken at room temperature, then cut into pieces and refroze again. Is it safe to eat
- No, it is not safe to eat. When chicken is thawed at room temperature, there is a high risk that it will be contaminated with harmful bacteria.
- How many months can I keep my meat in the freezer? Meat parts cut by a wholesaler and made of roasts, rhumsteaks, beef ribs, ground meat. The wholesaler says for 12 months. Is this true? Waiting for your answer. Thanks!
- The recommended storage time for meat in the freezer depends on the size of the cut.
For example roasts and whole chickens and turkey can be stored for 12 months. For smaller cuts such as chops and steaks, 8 to 10 months is recommended. The storage time for chicken parts is 6 months. For ground meats, the recommended storage time is 3 months.
- I have made plum jams and pour them into Mason jars without sterilizing them. Can I put those jars in the freezer?
- The jars may break when put in the freezer, especially if there is not enough "head space" left in the jar. A better alternative would be to store the jam in the refrigerator.
- When I freeze commercial pizza how do I wrap it, in what kind of material?
- To freeze a commercial pizza, package air tight in a freezer bag or freezer wrap.
- I have a whole smoked turkey in my freezer. How long can it be kept in the freezer before going bad
- If the smoked turkey is