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View Full Version : Freezing food...some questions.



Pete
22-05-2010, 10:12 PM
1. I bought this lovely big pork joint in the bargain bin section a while ago and stuck it in the freezer. I just remembered I had it today, brought it out and it was put in six weeks ago. The label on the joint said "freeze and use within one month" so I binned it.
However, I also looked at the instructions for my freezer and they said I could keep things like that for three months if it's stored in the upper compartment...which it was. Someone is telling porkies.
Nearly everything I buy has this "one month" rule. Is this for health and safety reasons and is the company simply covering themselves? Should I just ignore that from now on and go by what the freezer instructions say?

2. I bought some sausages today and stuck them in the freezer. The best before date on the packet is one week away. If I was to take them out and defrost them in one months time what state will they be in? Will I have to eat them straight away or will they have been suspended in the state I put them into the freezer...i.e. I could let them sit in the fridge for a while before I eat them?


Maybe some strange questions but I don't want to die for the sake of saving a few quid on a pack of sausages.

s.a.m
23-05-2010, 09:21 AM
1. I bought this lovely big pork joint in the bargain bin section a while ago and stuck it in the freezer. I just remembered I had it today, brought it out and it was put in six weeks ago. The label on the joint said "freeze and use within one month" so I binned it.
However, I also looked at the instructions for my freezer and they said I could keep things like that for three months if it's stored in the upper compartment...which it was. Someone is telling porkies.
Nearly everything I buy has this "one month" rule. Is this for health and safety reasons and is the company simply covering themselves? Should I just ignore that from now on and go by what the freezer instructions say?

2. I bought some sausages today and stuck them in the freezer. The best before date on the packet is one week away. If I was to take them out and defrost them in one months time what state will they be in? Will I have to eat them straight away or will they have been suspended in the state I put them into the freezer...i.e. I could let them sit in the fridge for a while before I eat them?


Maybe some strange questions but I don't want to die for the sake of saving a few quid on a pack of sausages.


1. I'm no expert, BUT I'm pretty sure you'd have been fine. I have over-stored just about everything I've ever frozen (and often for substantially longer than the given dates). Sometimes, after a LONG time, the quality degrades (which may be what the guide times are about, rather than safety).

2. Again, no expert, but I believe the advice is NOT to leave stuff hanging about after you have defrosted it. Personally, I have left stuff until the next day IF I've frozen it immediately after buying, and the dates are good. (And if I'm only cooking for myself, I often completely ignore this. I'm more careful about food I give to other people.)

I'm more fastidious about stuff that has been handled, and about certain foods over others.

BroxburnHibee
23-05-2010, 04:12 PM
1. I bought this lovely big pork joint in the bargain bin section a while ago and stuck it in the freezer. I just remembered I had it today, brought it out and it was put in six weeks ago. The label on the joint said "freeze and use within one month" so I binned it.
However, I also looked at the instructions for my freezer and they said I could keep things like that for three months if it's stored in the upper compartment...which it was. Someone is telling porkies.
Nearly everything I buy has this "one month" rule. Is this for health and safety reasons and is the company simply covering themselves? Should I just ignore that from now on and go by what the freezer instructions say?

2. I bought some sausages today and stuck them in the freezer. The best before date on the packet is one week away. If I was to take them out and defrost them in one months time what state will they be in? Will I have to eat them straight away or will they have been suspended in the state I put them into the freezer...i.e. I could let them sit in the fridge for a while before I eat them?


Maybe some strange questions but I don't want to die for the sake of saving a few quid on a pack of sausages.

Point 1 - it would be fine although the quality would decline the longer you freeze it.

Point 2 - as long as its in date when you freeze them there won't be a problem.