Question regarding freezer i accidently left open.

Hedge · 3 Jun 2008 at 18:36

I left my freezer door slightly open overnight. I got up in the morning an although it hadnt fully defrosted (turned to water), all the icey bits were a bit more like snow.

And the stuff i had inside, some fish fingers etc, chips, fish fillets... they had softened quite a bit.

I closed the door and its all frozen back up now, is it safe to eat stuff that has been frozen twice?

I know people hate questions like this on here, but im not sure if i can get sick off anything

cheers

therealnerd2 · 3 Jun 2008 at 18:38

Medical thread.

But generally no, it's not safe

ED: Although someone once told me that cooking them, and then refreezing them cooked, was safe. But i'd certainly not recommend that to someone, *ahem*.

Ghosteh · 3 Jun 2008 at 18:39

Probably not too safe, seen as you've refrozen them. If you had left them thawed in the fridge and then cooked them within 24-48 hours then maybe, but the whole refreezing thing isn't good at all.

Slinwagh · 3 Jun 2008 at 18:41

Safe to eat yes, safe to re freeze no.

Hedge · 3 Jun 2008 at 18:44

ah crap. thats a whole freezer of food duffed then

would chips be okay? any non meat items.

I mean i worked in a supermarket before, and i had a mate who worked in another one, and both of us had experience of stuff thawing out a bit before being banged back in the freezer.

The freezer door wasnt wide open, so it was still cold in there, but not freezing.

Sucks losing all this scran

tom_e · 3 Jun 2008 at 18:49

Our freezer used to be like this far too often due to a dodgy door and im not dead, neither did I suffer any bad effects from eatting from it but your milage may vary

Monkey Puzzle · 3 Jun 2008 at 18:49

Slinwagh said:
Safe to eat yes, safe to re freeze no.

I discovered a load of mince had gone rancid from thawing and refreezing when I tried to cook it a few weeks back. I wouldn't risk it if I were you.

vincent1989 · 3 Jun 2008 at 18:53

Hedge said:
I mean i worked in a supermarket before, and i had a mate who worked in another one, and both of us had experience of stuff thawing out a bit before being banged back in the freezer.

lol, i've worked in supermarket freezers, anything that'd 'thawed slightly' isn't fit for resale, if it's been out of the fridge for longer than 30 minutes you shouldn't have put it back in!

SentineL-X · 3 Jun 2008 at 19:06

bringerofdecay said:
lol, i've worked in supermarket freezers, anything that'd 'thawed slightly' isn't fit for resale, if it's been out of the fridge for longer than 30 minutes you shouldn't have put it back in!

How often is that accurate though?

We used to leave frozen food out over night on the yard, or whack it in chilled fridges at 5 degrees overnight and then re-freeze it, it happens in every supermarket I've worked in or visited. (jolly green giant one)

therealnerd2 · 3 Jun 2008 at 19:07

SentineL-X said:
How often is that accurate though?

We used to leave frozen food out over night on the yard, or whack it in chilled fridges at 5 degrees overnight and then re-freeze it, it happens in every supermarket I've worked in or visited. (jolly green giant one)

That's really bad. Never happened at the coop I worked for, and they'd skimp on most things. That's proper food poisoning territory

JohnnyG · 3 Jun 2008 at 19:09

Slinwagh said:
Safe to eat yes, safe to re freeze no.

This is probably the best course of action although some foods will tell you on the packaging whether you can re-freeze or not, fish products are one I definitely wouldn't re-freeze though that's for sure but your chips should be ok

Burned_Alive · 3 Jun 2008 at 19:21

If you've lost a lot then check your home insurance, our freezer packed in and wiped out a fair few bobs worth which our home insurance covered.

Hilly · 3 Jun 2008 at 19:22

invite your friends round, cook up a load of it, tell them to bring beers and eat till you burst.

Glaucus · 3 Jun 2008 at 19:23

It'll be fine, somethings might go mushy though.

Raymond Lin · 3 Jun 2008 at 19:24

I thought it is common knowledge never re freeze meat.

I say you should bin it all now.

therealnerd2 · 3 Jun 2008 at 19:27

Raymond Lin said:
I thought it is common knowledge never re freeze meat.

I say you should bin it all now.

Or cook it, then you CAN freeze it again

gsf600y · 3 Jun 2008 at 19:27

Does anyone know why you can't refreeze meat?
Also, why do you have do let some things defrost fully before cooking? Why not just cook them and let them thaw that way?
I've always wondered that.

Glaucus · 3 Jun 2008 at 19:27

Raymond Lin said:
I thought it is common knowledge never re freeze meat.

I say you should bin it all now.

It's also common knowledge never to eat stuff past it's used by date. Doesn't mean it sensible.
But I suppose as no one knows what they looking at then, you have to go by silly guidelines rather than common sense.

gsf600y said:
Does anyone know why you can't refreeze meat?

The chances of bacterial growth increase by a minuscule amount.

gsf600y said:
Also, why do you have do let some things defrost fully before cooking? Why not just cook them and let them thaw that way?
I've always wondered that.

to make it easier to cook all the way through, however there is no need to defrost meat if you know you can cook it properly.

"andy" · 3 Jun 2008 at 19:36

just cook everything you can and live on cold fish fingers for rest of the week

or put some of it in fridge and cook tommorow even

Raymond Lin · 3 Jun 2008 at 19:38

therealnerd2 said:
Or cook it, then you CAN freeze it again

Hedge said:
I closed the door and its all frozen back up now, is it safe to eat stuff that has been frozen twice?

Not stuff that's been frozen twice. If he hadn't close the door and cook then then it will be ok, even freeze again even.