6 Myths About Freezing Food
Over seven million tonnes of food and drink get thrown away in the UK each year. That's an average cost of £470 per household, or £700 for a family with children. So we decided it was time to take a look at 6 big myths about food waste, separating fact from fiction.
1) Myth: You can freeze all foods
Most food freezes under the right conditions, however there are some edibles which should never be put into the freezer. Delicate vegetables such as lettuce can disintegrate when frozen! It's also advised not to freeze canned goods or eggs in their shells.
2) You can freeze food indefinitely
From a food-safety perspective, it is true that you can freeze food indefinitely, however it's quality which will suffer. For optimal freshness, the following guidelines should be followed: Soups and stews, 2-3 months. Uncooked meat, 2-3 months. Cooked pultry, 4 months. Uncooked poultry, 9-12 months. If you are able to vacuum seal your food then the longer it will stay fresh.
3) Freezing kills bacteria
Freezing food doesn't actually kill any bacteria, it simply makes it inactive. This means that any food which went into the container already contaminated, will come out the same way. Cooking food to the recommended temperature is the only way to ensure your food is safe for consumption.
4) Frozen food has fewer nutrients than fresh
Despite what many may think, frozen fruits and vegetables may be even more healthful than some fresh fruit and veg sold in supermarkets! However the longer the food items are stored in the freezer, the more and more nutrients they lose.
5) Once thawed, food cannot be refrozen without cooking it first
It turns out, it's fine to refreeze! However make sure that the food has not been left outside the fridge for more than 2 hours. That said, refreezing will degrade the quality due to the loss of moisture in the thawing process, so it is best to avoid refreezing.
6) You can store frozen food long-term anywhere in your freezer or anywhere that’s cold
While the door of the freezer is a handy place to store food items, it's not always the best. Freezer temperature fluctuates each time the door is opened, meaning the freezing process can be slowed and can result in large ice crystals forming. To prevent this issue, store at-risk frozen foods towards the back of the freezer where the temperature will stay the same.
Content provided by EatingWell.com