What Can You Freeze?

Almost any food can be frozen, with a few exceptions such as canned goods and eggs in their shells. However, once foods like ham are removed from the can, they can be frozen without issue.

It’s important to note that freezing food and achieving good quality after thawing are not the same. Certain items simply don’t freeze well, such as mayonnaise, cream sauces, and lettuce. Raw meat and poultry tend to retain their quality better than cooked versions, as cooking causes moisture loss.

Is Frozen Food safe?

Food that is kept at 0 °F or lower will remain safe indefinitely. However, prolonged storage in the freezer can affect the quality. Freezing keeps food safe by slowing down molecular movement, which causes microbes to become inactive. This process preserves food for long periods by inhibiting the growth of microorganisms responsible for spoilage and foodborne illnesses.

Does Freezing Destroy Bacteria and Parasites?

Freezing food to 0 °F or lower deactivates any microbes, including bacteria, yeasts, and molds. However, once the food is thawed, these microbes can become active again, multiplying if conditions are right and potentially causing foodborne illness. Since they grow at a similar rate to those on fresh food, thawed items should be handled just like any perishable food.

Freezing at sub-zero temperatures can kill trichina and other parasites, but this requires specific conditions that are strictly monitored by authorities. Home freezing cannot be relied upon to eliminate trichina. The safest way to ensure parasites are destroyed is through thorough cooking.

Freshness and Quality

The freshness and quality of food at the time of freezing directly impact its condition once thawed. Foods frozen at their peak quality tend to taste better than those frozen closer to the end of their shelf life. To ensure optimal quality, freeze items you won’t use immediately sooner rather than later. Keep all foods stored at 0 °F or lower to preserve their vitamins, color, flavor, and texture.

Nutrient Retention

Freezing does not reduce the nutrient content of food. For meat and poultry, there is minimal loss of nutrients during freezer storage.

Enzymes

Enzyme activity can cause food quality to deteriorate. Enzymes found in animals, fruits, and vegetables trigger chemical reactions, such as ripening, both before and after harvest. Freezing slows down, but does not stop, enzyme activity in food.

In frozen meats or fish, enzyme activity doesn’t pose any harm, and the acids in frozen fruits neutralize it. However, many vegetables that freeze well are low in acid and need brief, partial cooking to prevent quality loss. This process, called “blanching,” involves briefly boiling vegetables or microwaving them, followed by rapid cooling before freezing and storage. For precise timing, refer to a cookbook.

Freezer Burn

Freezer burn does not render food unsafe but causes it to dry out in certain areas. It appears as grayish-brown, tough patches, resulting from air exposure on the food’s surface. You can trim off freezer-burned sections either before or after cooking. In cases where the freezer burn is severe, the affected food may need to be discarded due to quality concerns.

Color Changes

Freezing can cause color changes in some foods. For example, fresh meat may lose its bright red hue, turning dark or pale brown, which can happen due to reduced oxygen, freezer burn, or prolonged storage.

Poultry generally doesn’t experience significant color changes during freezing, although the bones and surrounding meat may darken. This happens when pigment from young poultry bones leaks into the surrounding meat during freezing and thawing.

In frozen vegetables and cooked foods, color fading often occurs due to excessive dehydration caused by improper packaging or overly long storage periods..

Refreezing

When food is thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze without cooking, though the quality might be slightly affected due to moisture loss during thawing. After cooking, foods that were once frozen can also be safely refrozen. If you thaw cooked food in the fridge, any unused portion can be refrozen. Make sure to freeze leftovers within 3-4 days. Do not refreeze food that has been left outside the refrigerator for more than 2 hours, or for over 1 hour if the temperature exceeds 90 °F (32 °C).