Expert: Carol Schlitt - 11/17/2006

Question
If your freezer door was left partially open allowing the food in the door to thaw out, and some of the food in the freezer to partially thaw, can this food be refrozen?

Answer
Hi Smitty,

If your foods still had ice crystals -- they are safe to refreeze.

Some foods like ice cream and frozen juice concentrate do not refreeze well and you may want to pitch. Frozen vegetables and fruits that partially defrost and then refrozen tend to develelop freezer burn and off flavors faster so I suggest you use those foods quickly. Meats, fish and other foods, being bulkier and more dense tend to take the longest to defrost so you many not see any difference in quality in these products.

A great research-based website you may want to bookmark in your "favorites" is the following: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/keeping_food_Safe_during_an_emergency/index...

If I can be of further assistance, please let me know.

Carol