As long as meat has been properly frozen, thawed, and refrozen in a timely manner, it can be refrozen. But the more moisture that is lost during this repetition may have a big impact on the meat's flavor and texture. In this case, the meat is probably not worth keeping.
When the meat is thawed, the bacteria become active and multiply. If the meat is refrozen, the increased number of bacteria go dormant then reactivate when the meat is thawed. The reason for not refreezing thawed meat is that the meat may have dangerous levels of bacteria.
A study indicates that refreezing food adds risks for contamination because freezing the meat ruptures the muscles in such a way that bacteria can travel from the surface to the interior. Each additional thaw allows the bacteria to expand in areas normally not affected by the bacteria.
If you refreeze the food after it has been defrosted, the ice crystals will form again, but they may be smaller and not as effective at preserving the food. This can lead to the growth of bacteria and other harmful microorganisms that can cause food poisoning and make you sick.
After thawing, use ground meats, poultry, and fish within one or two additional days, and use beef, pork, lamb or veal (roasts, steaks, or chops) within three to five days. For more information about thawing, please see The Big Thaw.
When chicken is thawed in the microwave, sections of the protein may begin to warm and cook. As a result, it is unsafe to then refreeze it without the chicken being fully cooked because "any bacteria present wouldn't have been destroyed," notes the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
You can safely refreeze frozen food that has thawed—raw or cooked, although there may be a loss of quality due to the moisture lost through thawing. To safely refreeze, the thawed product must have been kept cold at 40 degrees or below for no more than 3-4 days.
Cook thawed seafood for consumption or discard. Ice Cream. Do not refreeze melted ice cream. Consume it or discard.
These safety principles technically apply to any perishable foods, but some foods simply aren't going to refreeze well — these include ice cream, cheese and any dairy-based products; juice concentrates; and fruits and vegetables. If you have melted ice cream on your hands, you can always make hot chocolate!
Yes, you can safely refreeze and cook meat in this scenario. Once this meat is in its original package or sealed freezer bag and it is cold to touch (40 °F or less as measured by a thermometer) this is entirely safe to refreeze.
It is safe to freeze meat or poultry directly in its original packaging, however this type of wrap is permeable to air and quality may diminish over time. For prolonged storage, overwrap these packages as you would any food for long-term storage. It is not necessary to rinse meat and poultry.
Raw or cooked meat, poultry or egg products, as any perishable foods, must be kept at a safe temperature during "the big thaw." They are safe indefinitely while frozen. However, as soon as they begin to thaw and become warmer than 40 °F, bacteria that may have been present before freezing can begin to multiply.
However, what will begin to happen with repeated freezing and thawing is that the meat will become dryer and less tasty, says Donald W. Schaffner, PhD, an extension specialist in food science and a distinguished professor at Rutgers University in New Jersey.
Ground beef that has been thawed in the fridge is safe to refreeze as is. The raw meat should be refrozen within two days of it being thawed. To freeze ground beef, wrap the package in plastic wrap, aluminum foil or freezer paper, or place in a freezer-safe bag, before freezing to minimize the risk of freezer burn.
Generally, if your frozen pizza has thawed in the refrigerator and has been kept there for no more than a couple of days, it should still be safe to consume. The controlled temperature of the fridge slows down bacterial growth, making it a safe environment for your thawed pizza to reside temporarily.
After cooking raw foods which were previously frozen, it is safe to freeze the cooked foods. If previously cooked foods are thawed in the refrigerator, you may refreeze the unused portion. Freeze leftovers within 3-4 days.
Do not stir. Keeps fresh in refrigerator 2 weeks. May be refrozen for longer storage.
Discard heated leftovers. Thawed cakes, biscuits, breads, fruits and fruit juices are okay to refreeze once if no strong 'yeasty' smell. Thawed snap frozen meat, poultry or fish is okay to refreeze if still below 4°C or transported and handled safely and spent less than 2 hours in temperature danger zone.
One consideration when refreezing previously frozen food is that it can negatively affect the quality of the food due to moisture loss through freezing and thawing. Air trapped in the package or that seeps in from the freezer causes the moisture in the food to evaporate—making the food taste more dry.
Because it can take a full day for chicken to thaw in the fridge, this method is best if you're planning ahead for a meal the next day. If frozen chicken is thawed in the refrigerator, the defrosted chicken can last in the fridge for an additional 1-2 days before cooking.
If you have leftovers that include cooked meat or poultry, those will stay good in the fridge for 3–4 days, and can be kept in the freezer for 2–6 months.
You sure can, but only if the bacon was safely thawed in the refrigerator no more than seven days before you refreeze it, according to USDA guidelines. Bacon that was thawed at room temperature, in the microwave, or under running water is not safe to refreeze.