Frozen Foods: When to Save and When To Throw Out
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Meat, Poultry, and Seafood
| Type of Product | Still contains ice crystals and feels as cold as if refrigerated | Thawed, held above 40° F for over 2 hours |
|---|---|---|
| Beef, veal, lamb, pork, ground meats | Refreeze | Discard |
| Poultry, ground poultry | Refreeze | Discard |
| Variety meats (liver, kidney, heart, chitterlings) | Refreeze | Discard |
| Casseroles, stews, soups, convenience foods, pizza | Refreeze | Discard |
| Fish, shellfish, breaded seafood products | Refreeze (there will be some texture and flavor loss) |
Discard |
Dairy, Eggs, Cheese
| Type of Product | Still contains ice crystals and feels as cold as if refrigerated | Thawed, held above 40° F for over 2 hours |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | Refreeze (may lose some texture) |
Discard |
| Eggs (out of shells), egg products | Refreeze | Discard |
| Ice cream, frozen yogurt | Discard | Discard |
| Hard cheeses (cheddar, Swiss, Parmesan) | Refreeze | Refreeze |
| Casseroles containing milk, cream, eggs, soft cheeses | Refreeze | Discard |
| Cheesecake | Refreeze | Discard |
Fruits
| Type of Product | Still contains ice crystals and feels as cold as if refrigerated | Thawed, held above 40° F for over 2 hours |
|---|---|---|
| Juices | Refreeze | Refreeze (discard if mold, yeasty smell, or sliminess develops) |
| Home or commercially packaged | Refreeze (will change in texture and flavor) |
Refreeze (discard if mold, yeasty smell, or sliminess develops) |
Vegetables
| Type of Product | Still contains ice crystals and feels as cold as if refrigerated | Thawed, held above 40° F for over 2 hours |
|---|---|---|
| Juices | Refreeze | Discard if above 40°F for over 6 hours |
| Home or commercially packaged; blanched | Refreeze (may suffer flavor and texture loss) |
Discard if above 40°F for over 6 hours |
Breads, Pastries
| Type of Product | Still contains ice crystals and feels as cold as if refrigerated | Thawed, held above 40° F for over 2 hours |
|---|---|---|
| Breads, rolls, muffins, cakes (without custard filling) | Refreeze | Refreeze |
| Cakes, pies, pastries with custard or cheese fillings | Refreeze | Discard |
| Pie crusts | Refreeze | Refreeze |
| Commercial and homemade bread dough | Refreeze (may suffer some quality loss) |
Refreeze (will suffer considerable quality loss) |
Other Foods
| Type of Product | Still contains ice crystals and feels as cold as if refrigerated | Thawed, held above 40° F for over 2 hours |
|---|---|---|
| Casseroles - pasta; rice-based | Refreeze | Discard |
| Flour, cornmeal, nuts | Refreeze | Refreeze |
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service Food News for Consumers.
