Thawed meat can we refreeze [duplicate]

Our freezer was accidentally switched off approx a week ago and it was full of beef which had been frozen when very fresh will it be safe to refreeze

beef

Best Answer

It depends on whether the temperature stayed under 40 F / 4 C the whole time, and even if it did, how long was it above 32 F / 0 C.

If:

Yes, the temperature never rose above refrigerator levels of 40 F / 4C, and
The duration that it was above 32 F / 0 C (above freezing) was not more than the length of time you would normally refrigerate an item (2-3 days meat) then
Yes you can refreeze but the life will be shortened upon being thawed by however long it was above freezing; furthermore, you will probably suffer a loss of quality (especially in texture) from the refreezing cycle.

According the Ohio State University extension, this is likely to only be 24 hours id safety margin assuming you don't open the door. If you don't know the temperatures, you probably want to be conservative in your estimations.

After a week, you may wish to lean towards discarding the contents, as sad as that may be.

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Quick Answer about "Thawed meat can we refreeze [duplicate]"

The U. S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) advises: Once food is thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze it without cooking, although there may be a loss of quality due to the moisture lost through thawing.

Can you freeze the same meat twice?

Meat is often frozen to preserve and keep the product safe when it's not going to be eaten right away. As long as the meat has been stored properly and thawed slowly in the refrigerator, it can be refrozen safely multiple times. If done correctly, refreezing meat does not pose any health risks.

What happens when you freeze meat twice?

When you freeze, thaw, and refreeze an item, the second thaw will break down even more cells, leaching out moisture and changing the integrity of the product. The other enemy is bacteria. Frozen and thawed food will develop harmful bacteria faster than fresh.

Why is it bad to thaw and refreeze meat?

If you froze ground beef and thawed if safely (in the refrigerator), then you can refreeze it. We do not recommend doing this more than once, as it will cause freezer burn and a loss of taste and texture when you cook the meat.

What meats can be refrozen after thawing?

Myth 1: if you've defrosted frozen meat or chicken you can't refreeze it. From a safety point of view, it is fine to refreeze defrosted meat or chicken or any frozen food as long as it was defrosted in a fridge running at 5\xb0C or below.

Can You Refreeze Thawed Meat?

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