Freezing and Refrigerating your Meat

Q. Does freezing kill bacteria?
A. No, it only prevents any further growth. Heat destroys bacteria.

Q. If frozen meat has defrosted, can it be refrozen?
A. It's not recommended unless it is cooked first, for a number of reasons:

• The quality suffers each time frozen meat is defrosted and refrozen. Freezing creates ice crystals within the structure of the meat (as meat contains a high percentage of water). These ice crystals rupture the fibre which causes the meat to bleed when defrosted. If repeated, the texture of the meat will be very dry.
• There can also be microbial risk as a result of refreezing meat without firstly cooking it.

Q. What about vacuum packed meat?
A. Vacuum packed meat has a longer storage life than fresh meat because all air is removed from the packaging, thus retarding microbial growth. However, as a result, the meat develops what's known as confinement odour. This isn't harmful and will disappear after a little while.

This type of meat is purple in colour due to the lack of oxygen in the packaging. Once removed from the package and exposed to oxygen, the red colour (bloom) returns after a little while.

Q. What is the maximum storage time for frozen meat, and what happens if it goes beyond the recommended time?
A. Freezing prolongs storage time because it prevents microbial growth. Recommended storage times relate to eating quality more than food safety. After a certain period of time, frozen food starts to dry out, so the smaller the item of food the faster the effect. That's why, for example, it's recommended to freeze mince for up to 3 months, and roasts up to 6 months. Beyond this time, the meat will be safe to eat but will be very dry.

Note: Once you have placed your meat into the freezer, make sure that you rearrange the trays the next day. Sometimes, the meat in the middle does not freeze because it is too dense for the cold air to get into it.