Chances are you’ve seen freezer burn on your food. That old package of meat or leftovers you stored to prevent spoilage has taken on a strange color and is covered in ice. Is it still safe to eat? And how can you prevent freezer burn from happening again?
What is Freezer Burn?
This term can be a bit misleading: what we call freezer burn is actually the result of dehydration. When you freeze any food, the water inside it turns into ice crystals. Over time, that ice migrates to the food’s surface and toward the inner walls of the freezer. If your freezer has a self-defrosting feature, you won’t have to spend time scraping off the ice buildup yourself.
If food isn’t tightly packaged, moisture can escape, drying out the food and causing what we call “freezer burn.” It’s especially likely if the food has been sitting at the bottom of the freezer for a long time or if the temperature inside is too low.
Another factor that contributes to freezer burn is oxygen. Once the moisture leaves the food, oxygen can seep in and change the product’s color and flavor. For example, red meat can turn a dull gray.
Is Food with Freezer Burn Safe to Eat?
Generally, freezer burn is considered more of a quality issue than a safety concern, according to IFLScience.
“Freezer burn doesn’t make food unsafe; it just dries it out in certain areas,” states the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
Still, freezer-burned food isn’t very appetizing. Once you taste it, you’ll notice the flavor and texture have been compromised. “Cut away the freezer-burned parts, either before or after cooking. Severely freezer-burned products may need to be discarded,” advises the FSIS.
The agency also lists recommended freezer storage times for various foods. For instance, raw steaks can stay good for about a year, while cooked poultry is best eaten within four months. Again, this refers to quality rather than safety. If something has been languishing at the bottom of the freezer longer than you can remember, if it smells odd, or if you can’t even identify what it is, it’s probably best to throw it out.
How to Prevent Freezer Burn?
To avoid freezer burn, follow a few simple tips. The National Center for Home Food Preservation at the University of Georgia has a detailed guide on freezing. The center emphasizes proper packaging. As mentioned earlier, freezer burn happens when moisture escapes from food and air gets in. So it’s crucial to make sure food is tightly sealed.
Experts at the center say, “Store-bought meat needs to be repackaged, as its clear packaging is not moisture-vapor resistant.”
Some foods require special preparation before freezing. For example, seafood and fish fillets should be briefly submerged in ice water to create a protective coating that helps keep air out.
If you need to freeze a large quantity of food at once, temporarily lower the temperature in the freezer.
Conclusion
If you decide to eat leftovers that have been forgotten in the freezer, freezer burn won’t harm your health. However, those leftovers may taste unpleasant. The key is to prevent moisture from escaping the food and air from getting in. Freezer burn is also more likely when foods are stored for too long.
Freeze only what you’re likely to eat within a few months.
And remember, if you don’t let forgotten food pile up, you’ll have more room for ice cream — and that’s a real treat.
