Cooperative Living August 2014 - 24

SAFETY SENSE
Home Freezer Safety
W
HOW TO WRAP FOOD FOR THE FREEZER
If you're just freezing food for a short time, plastic
bags or plastic wrap are adequate. Wrap foods airtight
to decrease the chance of " freezer burn, " which
occurs when air meets frozen food. While not harmful,
freezer burn adversely affects the food's texture
and color.
For longer periods, use heavy-duty aluminum foil,
special plastic freezer bags, or freezer wrap. You can
also use heavy-duty plastic containers or jars. Never
put glass containers in the freezer ― the extreme temperatures
may cause the glass to break. Remember to
leave head space in containers because foods
expand during freezing. In all cases, packages
should be secure, airtight, and clearly labeled with
contents and date.
HOW TO THAW FOODS SAFELY
* Thaw meat in the refrigerator or sink, never on the
kitchen counter, basement or outdoors.
* To thaw foods in cold water in the sink, place
them in a sealed plastic bag in a bowl or sink
of cool water and change the water every
30 minutes.
* If you thaw food in the microwave, be sure to eat
it immediately.
* If food is thawed slowly in the refrigerator, you
may refreeze whatever is not needed, although
there may be a loss of quality due to the moisture
lost through thawing.
hether you're harvesting a garden's bounty, have a successful hunter or fisher in the family or discovered
a can't-miss volume discount at your local supermarket, here are some tips to safely package,
freeze and thaw freezer-stored food so that it remains safe and tasty until you're ready to use it:
* Freezing can't completely stop the growth of microorganisms and enzymes that cause food spoilage. For
every five degrees Fahrenheit above zero, an item's recommended storage time is cut in half. Keep a thermometer
in your freezer to monitor temperature, and try to maintain zero degrees Fahrenheit or below.
* Be careful not to try to freeze too much at one time. Add warm items gradually. Otherwise, the freezer may
be overworked, making it difficult to maintain the recommended temperature.
* Keep your freezer well stocked! An almost-empty freezer is more expensive to operate than one that is nearly
full. Once frozen, each item helps keep its neighbors frozen.
* Place the newest food packages in the bottom or near the back of the freezer, then move the older ones to
the front so they are next in line for use.
* Color-code or label packages with different markers to help you identify foods in the freezer. Post a list of all
frozen food (with dates) by the freezer and check off what is used.
FREEZER STORAGE TIMES
For best quality, these are recommend storage
times for various types of frozen food:
* Bacon and sausage - 1 to 2 months
* Casseroles - 2 to 3 months
* Egg whites or egg substitutes - 12 months
* Frozen dinners and entrees - 3 to 4 months
* Gravy, meat or poultry - 2 to 3 months
* Ham, hotdogs and lunchmeats - 1 to 2 months
* Meat, uncooked roasts - 4 to 12 months
* Meat, uncooked steaks or chops - 4 to12 months
* Meat, uncooked ground - 3 to 4 months
* Meat, cooked - 2 to 3 months
* Poultry, uncooked - whole 12 months
* Poultry, uncooked - parts 9 months
* Poultry, uncooked - giblets 3 to 4 months
* Poultry, cooked - 4 months
* Soups and stews - 2 to 3 months
DON'T FREEZE THESE FOODS
* Salad greens and crisp raw vegetables will lose
their crispness and become limp after freezing.
* Eggs in the shell will expand and crack. Hardcooked
egg whites will become tough and
rubbery.
* Creamed cottage cheese will change texture,
becoming grainy.
* Sour cream will separate when frozen and
thawed and heavy cream will not whip high after
freezing.
* Potatoes become mushy if frozen raw. They also
become watery and tough if boiled and then
frozen. n
Source: USDA Food Safety and
Inspection Service
22
Cooperative Living/August 2014
DYNAMIC GRAPHICS/LIQUIDLIBRARY/THINKSTOCK

Cooperative Living August 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Cooperative Living August 2014