Aside from meat, another common victim of freezer burn is ice cream, which can turn a bit icy and scratchy when freezer-burned. Like meat, it's still completely safe to eat. However, the textural changes may be more evident since you're eating a frozen treat.
Don't be fooled by a few ice crystals. Freezer-burned Ice cream is usually just fine to eat, in terms of safety. If you aren't crazy about the appearance, scoop it into a blender, add some milk and malt powder, and make yourself a shake.
Eating ice cream with ice crystals is generally safe, but it may not be the most enjoyable experience. Ice crystals can form when ice cream has been partially melted and then refrozen, which can affect its texture and flavor. Here are a few points to consider:
Remove Existing Freezer Burn
Allow the ice cream to melt a little, then remove the crystals with an ice cream scoop or a serrated knife before serving. (Freezer burn ice cream is safe to eat since ice crystals do not spoil the ice cream.)
When ice cream melts, bacteria such as Listeria can grow. Listeria outbreaks can occur in freezers when ice cream that melted is refrozen. The bacteria can cause severe illness. To protect your health, you should err on the side of caution and throw away any ice cream that has melted instead of refreezing it.
To safely refreeze, the thawed product must have been kept cold at 40 degrees or below for no more than 3-4 days. If food is completely thawed, warmed to room temperature or left out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours, throw the food out for safety's sake.
Get up close and personal with your ice cream and give it a thorough inspection. One of the first things you may notice if ice cream has gone bad is any formation of ice shards (crystals) on the surface of the ice cream or the underside of the container's lid.
To tackle freezer burn, simply cut or scrape off the affected areas with a spoon or knife. For future protection, place parchment paper on the newly scraped surface before resealing the container. This will help keep your ice cream fresh longer and prevent more ice from forming.
"Freezer burn increases oxygen contact with the food surface area and raises oxidative reactions, which irreversibly alter color, texture, and flavor," writes Evans. So even when you defrost and cook your freezer-burned food, the leathery texture, ugly discoloration, and musty flavor remain.
Meats often take on a gray-brown color and may look tough or leathery, while fruits and vegetables are visibly dry and shriveled. Starchy foods like baked goods and cooked grains tend to develop a rougher texture and ice cream's milky consistency is covered with a coat of ice crystals.
Eating ice cream before bed is not a good idea because it has a high sugar content that can interfere with sleep and a high dairy content that can irritate your stomach. Eating ice cream in the morning is less harmful. However, it is recommended you start your day with a healthier, more nutrient-dense meal.
Freezer burn appears as grayish-brown leathery spots on food and is caused by air reaching the surface of the food. Freezer burn does not make food unsafe, merely dry in spots. Cut freezer-burned portions away either before or after cooking the food.
If stored well, ice cream in an airtight container lasts the longest when frozen, usually one to two months. This is because the freezing temperature slows the growth of bacteria and keeps it from becoming rancid too quickly.
Sadly, there's no way to fully reverse the freezer burn, but it doesn't mean you have to throw away the item either. You can either cut off the affected parts after defrosting and cook as normal, or you can use a cooking method that helps retain moisture, such as stewing or poaching.
Microwave your ice cream for 10 seconds before eating it if it's visibly icy. If you see ice crystals sticking all over your ice cream when you take it out of the freezer, throw it in the microwave and zap it for 10 seconds. Then, check on your ice cream. If there's no ice, it's ready to go!
You might be inclined to toss your food, but USDA officials say that any food affected by freezer burn is safe to eat. While your steak may taste a little “off”, you won't actually be at any greater risk for foodborne illness.
Aside from meat, another common victim of freezer burn is ice cream, which can turn a bit icy and scratchy when freezer-burned. Like meat, it's still completely safe to eat. However, the textural changes may be more evident since you're eating a frozen treat.
Can I Eat Freezer Burned Ice Cream? If you spot some frost on your ice cream, don't worry: It's perfectly safe to eat. But since freezer burn can change ice cream's taste and texture, make sure you follow our tips to prevent freezer burn on ice cream and keep your favorite frozen treats in good condition.
If your ice cream has been exposed to warmth long enough to experience significant melting, odds are that bacteria had a chance to grow within. Even if the dessert goes back into freezing temperatures again, that bacteria has already taken root and can make you sick when eaten.
There are several signs that ice cream has gone bad. A sour or rancid smell is a clear indicator. The presence of large ice crystals, a significantly hardened texture, or a change in color can also suggest that the ice cream has degraded in quality.
It happens when ice cream melts and then refreezes. In normal, fresh ice cream, the ice crystals are teensy tiny, making the texture creamy and smooth. Once it melts, even just a little bit, and then refreezes, the ice crystals bind to one another, making larger crystals. This leaves the texture grainy and icy.
We want your ice cream to be the perfect treat every single time. Our top priority continues to be the quality and the safety of our products. If your ice cream is covered in ice crystals, this is likely caused by freezer-burn or a storage issue.
Technically, ice cream has a “best by” date and not an expiration date. This means that, when properly stored, it is probably fine to eat beyond the date printed on the carton, provided there is no evidence of spoilage. The quality, however, may suffer.
Frozen Food and Power Outages: When to Save It and When to Throw It Out. A full freezer will hold a safe temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full and the door remains closed).
Since the sugars in ice cream feed bacteria, it's a serious set-up for food poisoning. Even after you refreeze your melted ice cream, it won't be safe from certain bacteria that's been allowed to grow.