If you find yourself in a power outage or your freezer decides to stop running, you don’t want to necessarily throw everything away if at all possible. Even if you aren’t facing this could-be catastrophe right this very second, it’s best to know some guidelines to follow when you’re in a panic.
According to FoodSafety.gov, thawed food may be refrozen under the conditions that it still has ice crystals or is at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below. However, keep in mind refreezing partially thawed food can change the texture and consistency; though, it is still safe to eat (just like freezer burnt food). Also, never taste your partially frozen food either; as this does not reflect the safety of your food…you can’t decipher bacteria growth with your tongue anyhow (yuck)! It’s a smart idea to grab a thermometer to toss in your freezer anyways. Then, you will know the internal temp inside, without playing the guessing game so much. FoodSafety.gov has a chart to go by that breaks down the different food categories for: animal proteins, dairy, fruits, veggies, breads and a miscellaneous section. It is then divided by: specific foods, if it contains ice crystals/feels refrigerated and if the food is thawed above 40 degrees Fahrenheit for over 2 hours. For instance, if you have vegetable juice in your freezer, and it has ice crystals on it, you can refreeze it. Though, if your juice has been thawed above 40 degrees over 6 hours, toss it. Do you have frozen breakfast items like bagels and waffles? Under both circumstances of the ice crystal and 2-hour window, you can refreeze them! A general rule of thumb to follow by is to fill up your freezer with full water bottles. By filling up empty space, less cool air is lost which means decreased time your compressor is running. Not only will this tactic save money in the long run since your appliance will use less power, but in the case of an outage, it will take a longer time for the contents in your freezer to thaw out. Frozen Food and Power Outages: When to Save and When to Throw Out | FoodSafety.gov Photo Source: Peter Pearson via Flickr
