Foods with freezer burn may appear covered in ice crystals, discolored in spots, or shriveled. But though they may have changes in taste and texture, they’re usually safe to eat.
You’ve most likely experienced finding a package of meat, vegetables, or ice cream at the bottom of your freezer that didn’t look quite right or that may have smelled of freezer burn when you opened it.
It’s more likely to happen to foods with a high water content, but it can happen to any food that’s been frozen for a long time.
Keep reading to learn what freezer burn is, what causes it, and whether affected foods are safe to eat, plus how to protect food from developing freezer burn.
Freezer burn is the dehydration of food that results from moisture loss during freezing. It can happen to any food that’s been frozen for a long time. As dehydration occurs, oxygen moves in to take its place.
It’s more likely to occur among foods that:
- are not wrapped well
- experience fluctuating temperature (such as frequent or prolonged opening of the freezer door)
- are kept in the freezer longer
- contain more water
Why does it happen?
All foods contain water, which forms thousands of ice crystals when frozen. These crystals migrate to the surface of food and eventually to the coldest part of your freezer through a process called sublimation (when a substance goes from a solid to a gas).
Sublimation is similar to evaporation, but it doesn’t involve liquid. Instead, a substance changes directly from a solid into a gas. It’s the reason why ice cubes become smaller if you don’t use them for a long time.
This loss of water molecules causes dehydration, making the frozen food shriveled, dry, and tough. Additionally, water loss allows oxygen to cause changes in flavor and color, especially in meats, poultry, and fish that was not wrapped well.
Freezer-burned foods may look unappetizing and have an unpleasant texture and off-flavor, but usually they’re still safe to eat.
If your freezer is set to 0°F (-18°C), bacteria and other harmful pathogens cannot grow, and your food will be safe to eat, as long as it was fresh when you put it in and you thaw it correctly.
Still, like other methods of food preservation, including pickling, canning, and dehydrating, freezing food also affects its quality.
If you want to eat food that has been affected by freezer burn, you can trim off the affected areas and use the rest. Nonetheless, its overall quality won’t be equal to its non-freezer-burned or fresh counterpart.
It’s also best to check frozen foods for signs of spoilage. For instance, if it wasn’t kept frozen due to a power outage or leaving the freezer door open for a long period of time, it may not be safe to consume, depending on how long it was thawed for.
Any food stored in a freezer is subject to freezer burn.
But because it’s caused by dehydration, foods with a higher water content like produce, meats, poultry, fish, or ice cream tend to be more affected than foods with a low water content, such as nuts, seeds, or flour.
Freezer burn may also the appearance of certain foods. For instance:
- Foods may develop ice crystals on the surface.
- Red meat may become dark or pale brown, depending on the variety.
- In poultry, the bones and meat near them may darken.
- Frozen vegetables may also appear more dull, dry, or shriveled.
Frozen meat, poultry, and fish may develop dark brown or grayish-white leathery areas. When cooked, the texture may be drier and tougher.
You can easily recognize freezer burn on fruits and vegetables, as they become dry and shriveled. They might also be covered in ice crystals because of their high water content, and if you cook them, they’ll likely have a woody texture.
Starchy foods like cooked grains, rice, or pasta, as well as baked goods like bread or cake, usually develop a rougher texture. Meanwhile, grains may be coated with ice crystals, and baked goods may be dry and less voluminous.
When ice cream gets freezer-burned, it loses its creaminess and gains ice crystals instead.
Some ways to prevent freezer burn include:
Freezing at 0°F (-18°C) or lower
You can minimize freezer burn by keeping your freezer at 0°F (-18°C) or lower. Food freezes faster at this temperature, allowing smaller ice crystals to form. These are less likely than larger crystals to significantly change the quality of your food.
Deep freezing
Deep freezing may also be less likely to cause ice crystals to form. It also helps prevent food from partially thawing and re-freezing, which can contribute to ice crystal formation.
Properly wrapping foods
It’s also important to package your food properly to minimize oxygen exposure. For example, wrap meat, poultry, or seafood in freezer paper or plastic wrap, then in foil, and then in a freezer bag.
Removing air
Remove as much air as possible from the packaging of frozen fruits and vegetables, and use small containers to minimize any empty space when freezing leftovers. You can also cover the top of the ice cream with freezer paper or plastic wrap before replacing the lid.
You can use reusable contains, such as sealed silicone bags and freezeable glass containers to keep frozen food from developing freezer burn.
Opening your freezer less often
Opening your freezer frequently causes the temperature inside to fluctuate, and more ice crystals form when foods start to thaw. Thus, only open it when necessary.
Using frozen food faster
Finally, the best way to avoid freezer burn is to use your frozen food faster. Only buy what you expect to use within the next 2 to 4 months, and when packaging food for the freezer, mark it with the date so that you can use the oldest products first.
If it’s been frozen and thawed safely, you can consume freezer burned food. However, it may have some changes in quality.
You may be able to remove some of the ice crystals before thawing. However, freezer-burned foods may be drier and tougher.
It’s best to add dates to food you freeze so that you can use older food first, before it degrades in quality.
Freezer burn is the result of moisture loss from storage in the freezer. It leads to changes in the quality of your food and may result in ice crystals, shriveled produce, and tough, leathery, and discolored meats.
Despite the quality changes, freezer-burned food is safe to eat.
To prevent it, wrap your food properly before it goes into the freezer, and remember to check what’s hiding at the bottom so nothing is stored for too long.