Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 2: Recognizing a frostburn
• Part 2 of 2: Preventing Frostburn
• Tips

Storing food in the freezer is an easy and safe way to keep food fresh for later use. But when the outside air comes into contact with frozen food, it can cause frostburn, which can make the food look and taste unpleasant. A frostburn is relatively easy to spot. There are certain signs to look out for when examining food for frostburn, as well as a couple of simple ways to slow the process down to keep food fresh for as long as possible.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Recognizing a frostburn

1. 1 Inspect food packaging. A hole in the package or a crack in the plastic means the food has been exposed to cold and outside air, which increases the chances of getting a frostbite.
2. 2 Examine the food. Remove food from its packaging and check for dry, discolored areas and ice crystals. Food with any of these symptoms is likely to have suffered a frostburn.
   • The exact effects of frostburn discoloration depend on the food, but the affected areas tend to appear white on poultry (chicken), grayish brown on meat (steak), and white on vegetables, and ice crystals form on ice cream.
   • Wrinkling in meat or vegetables is also a sign that the food has been victimized by a frostburn.
3. 3 Smell the food. Smell the food and try to detect an unpleasant plastic and stale "frosty" smell. When fat comes into contact with the air outside the package and begins to oxidize, it creates a disgusting frosty taste and odor that denote a frostbite.
4. 4 Check the date. Store food usually has a shelf life. Check the label on the product and determine if the shelf life has been overdue. If your food is already expired and ice crystals have formed on it, it most likely suffered a frostburn.
5. 5 Deal with spoiled food. Food spoiled as a result of a frostburn is completely safe to eat. However, to save most of the food, trim off the frostbite and cook the rest as usual.
   • If the frostbite has affected most of the food, it may be best to throw it away. Despite the fact that such food is good for consumption, it will be either tasteless or with a strange taste.
   • Small ice crystals form on the surface of ice cream with a frosty burn, which can definitely be eaten, albeit without much pleasure.

Part 2 of 2: Preventing Frostburn

1. 1 Pack food tightly. Use a freezer-designed airtight plastic container for storing food, and wrap the frozen food twice to prevent water from evaporating from the food. Store-wrapped food can usually be stored in the freezer for about 1 to 2 months, but if you plan to store food for a longer period, you should wrap it more securely.
   • Store food in airtight containers (soups, broths, fruits) or vacuum sealed containers (fish, meat).
2. 2 Repack open store products. Once you open the frozen food from the store and the moisture and vapor barrier is broken, the packaging will no longer retain moisture from the frozen food. Because of this, the food needs to be repackaged.
   • For example, placing an open bag full of vegetables in a freezer bag, or removing frozen fish sticks from an open box and placing them in a small freezer are effective ways to repack and store open frozen foods.
3. 3 Check the temperature in the freezer. The temperature in the freezer should be set at least -17 degrees Celsius, if not lower.
   • Any temperature above this value or temperature fluctuations (due to opening and closing the freezer door) increase the risk of frostburn.
4. 4 Try not to store food for too long. All frozen foods must be consumed within the recommended expiration date printed on the label.
   • Label frozen foods with an expiration date so they can be eaten within the specified period.
   • Remember: a frostburn does not make food inedible. She just might lose a little in quality.
5. 5 Use ice immersion. Immersion in ice is an extremely old method of storing food. You need to submerge raw food in water and let the layer of water turn into an ice crust on the food. After that, you need to once again immerse the ice-covered food in water and let the water freeze again. Repeat until the food has a thick enough layer of ice to protect it from the outside air.
   • The fish is often dipped in ice for long-term storage. Chicken and other meats can also be stored in a similar manner.
   • Immersion in ice also helps save on plastic packaging.

Tips

• Wrap the food in paper or a freezer bag to protect it from frostburn.
• Food that has suffered a frostburn will taste unpleasant, but will remain quite edible. This is due to a lack of moisture in the frozen area of ​​the food.