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It's happened to all of us, one day the freezer lid gets left open or the power goes out. Either way, you have a freezer full of food
and you don't know what to do with it. The chart below is provided by the USDA and should be used as a guideline only. When
in doubt about food safety, it is always better to throw questionable food out.
Food or Food Type
MEAT, POULTRY and SEAFOOD
Beef, veal, lamb, pork and ground meats
Poultry and ground poultry
Variety meats
(liver, kidney, heart, chitterlings)
Fish, shellfish, breaded seafood products
DAIRY
Milk
Eggs (out of shell) and egg products
Ice cream, frozen yogurt
Cheese (soft and semi-soft)
Hard cheeses
Shredded cheeses
Casseroles containing milk, cream, eggs,
soft cheeses
Cheesecake
FRUITS and VEGETABLES
Juices—fruit
Juices—vegetables
Home, commercially packaged or blanched
BREADS and PASTRIES
Breads, rolls, muffins,
cakes (without custard fillings)
Cakes, pies,
pastries with custard or cheese filling
Pie crusts, commercial and homemade
bread dough
OTHER
Casseroles—pasta or rice based
Flour, cornmeal, nuts
Breakfast items—
waffles, pancakes, bagels
Frozen meal, entrée, specialty items
(pizza, sausage and biscuit, meat pie, and
convenience foods)
Still contains ice crystals and
feels as cold as if refrigerated
Refreeze
Refreeze
Refreeze
Refreeze, however, there will be some texture
and flavor loss
Refreeze, may lose some texture
Refreeze
Discard
Refreeze, may lose some texture
Refreeze
Refreeze
Refreeze
Refreeze
Refreeze
Refreeze
Refreeze. Will change in texture and flavor
Refreeze
Refreeze
Refreeze, some quality loss may occur.
Refreeze
Refreeze
Refreeze
Refreeze
10
Thawed.
Held above 40°F for over 2 hours
Discard
Discard
Discard
Discard
Discard
Discard
Discard
Discard
Refreeze
Discard
Discard
Discard
Refreeze. Discard if mold, yeasty smell or
sliminess develops
Discard after held above 40°F for 6 hours
Discard after held above 40°F for 6 hours or
if mold, yeasty smell or sliminess develops
Refreeze
Discard
Refreeze. Quality loss is considerable.
Discard
Refreeze
Refreeze
Discard
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