AboutCarol Schlitt Expertise I can answer questions on home food safety, sanitation, home food preservation and commercial food safety (HACCP).
Experience I am an Extension educator, nutrition, wellness and food safety. I am a certified HACCP manager and a food safety instructor for the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Organizations International Association for Food Protection, American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (Certified CFCS), National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Society for Nutrition Education.
Education/Credentials BS - University of Illinois
MS - Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville
Question Can foods that are sealed and frozen, be refrozen safely. I have lobster tails, salmon and chicken and beef kabobs. Freezer broke...do I need to cook it all? Thank for help
Answer Hi,
When the freezer stops, the key for knowing what to pitch, what to refreeze depends if ice crystals still remain in the food. If the chicken, lobster tails, etc. still had ice crystals when you discovered the broken freezer -- then you can successfully refreeze.
If the protein-rich foods (like the ones you described) were completely defrosted when you discovered the broken freezer, then our recommendation is to pitch the food.
Be sure to examine carefully all foods for color changes or odor before refreezing and then refreeze only packages that still contain ice crystals or are cold to touch. The exception is ground meat which should be cooked before refreezing.
