A mincey question for the cooks

DezUk · 13 May 2009 at 18:02

I have just come in from work and was gonna make some spag bol. I have some mince in the frifge that came out of my freezer about 3 days ago. It's been in the freezer for ages though as the use by date is April, which i think might even be last years April.

Will this be safe to eat?

Dolph · 13 May 2009 at 18:04

Open the bag, you'll probably be able to smell if it's off. If you can't straight away, you will when you start cooking.

Antar Bolaeisk · 13 May 2009 at 18:04

I would imagine anything frozen should be okay to eat.

Does it smell okay?

HeadlessChicken · 13 May 2009 at 18:05

That's a long time, even frozen. Give it a go, but expect to chuck it.

Tom0 · 13 May 2009 at 18:06

Beef should be fine for 5 days after getting out of the freezer (aslong as it was pretty fresh when frozen), so should be ok.

Smell it, if it smells ok, cook it, if not bin it.
After cooking it, taste it. If it tastes ok, eat it, if not bin it.

yer_averagejoe · 13 May 2009 at 18:12

as long as its not brown its good.

DezUk · 13 May 2009 at 18:18

Just opened the packet and the stuff smells fine, well no smell at all so I am off to make my dinner

cactuscake · 13 May 2009 at 18:31

yer_averagejoe said:
as long as its not brown its good.

Even after it goes brown it's usually safe for another 24 hours. There aren't as many dangerous bugs in beef as there are in other meats.

kefkef · 13 May 2009 at 18:41

As has been said, smell it, if it smells stale/sour then it's no good. And as cactuscake says, brown mince can be fine (it can go brown just by being in contact with the bag).

Arjun806 · 13 May 2009 at 18:41

I thought meat was meant to naturally go brown anyway?

Glaucus · 13 May 2009 at 18:46

it will be fine. you can freeze stuff for years and eat it.

As said smell it.

DezUk · 13 May 2009 at 18:56

My spag ball is cooked and tasting lush

Dipping bread into the pot is always a winner!

alexakasloth · 13 May 2009 at 19:32

AcidHell2 said:
it will be fine. you can freeze stuff for years and eat it.

As said smell it.

I thought it was 3 months for meat/poultry?

Glaucus · 13 May 2009 at 19:37

$loth said:
I thought it was 3 months for meat/poultry?

guidelines for idiots. Same as sell by/use by dates.
I don't know anyone who has got ill from frozen meat that are years old.
same as, who knows anyone who has gotten ill from rice spores from heating up a takeaway the next day. I eat rice 2 or 3 days old.

Musty Pie · 13 May 2009 at 19:40

AcidHell2 said:
guidelines for idiots. Same as sell by/use by dates.
I don't know anyone who has got ill from frozen meat that are years old.
same as, who knows anyone who has gotten ill from rice spores from heating up a takeaway the next day. I eat rice 2 or 3 days old.

+1

Either that or we have cast iron stomachs

Goksly · 13 May 2009 at 19:41

AcidHell2 said:
guidelines for idiots. Same as sell by/use by dates.
I don't know anyone who has got ill from frozen meat that are years old.
same as, who knows anyone who has gotten ill from rice spores from heating up a takeaway the next day. I eat rice 2 or 3 days old.

I'd be very surprised if the average house hold freezer can keep meat for over a year. if, in this case, the meat is good - it would be from this year, not last.

Antar Bolaeisk · 13 May 2009 at 19:49

Slightly off topic but why would the meat go off while frozen? I thought most bacteria stopped when the temperature drops too low.

Glaucus · 13 May 2009 at 19:56

Goksly said:
I'd be very surprised if the average house hold freezer can keep meat for over a year. if, in this case, the meat is good - it would be from this year, not last.

From the us goverment website

Does Freezing Destroy Bacteria & Parasites?
Freezing to 0 °F inactivates any microbes -- bacteria, yeasts and molds - - present in food. Once thawed, however, these microbes can again become active, multiplying under the right conditions to levels that can lead to foodborne illness. Since they will then grow at about the same rate as microorganisms on fresh food, you must handle thawed items as you would any perishable food.

Trichina and other parasites can be destroyed by sub-zero freezing temperatures. However, very strict government-supervised conditions must be met. It is not recommended to rely on home freezing to destroy trichina. Thorough cooking will destroy all parasites.

Length of Time
Because freezing keeps food safe almost indefinitely, recommended storage times are for quality only. Refer to the freezer storage chart at the end of this document, which lists optimum freezing times for best quality.

If a food is not listed on the chart, you may determine its quality after defrosting. First check the odor. Some foods will develop a rancid or off odor when frozen too long and should be discarded. Some may not look picture perfect or be of high enough quality to serve alone but may be edible; use them to make soups or stews. Cook raw food and if you like the taste and texture, use it.

0 f is -18 degrees.