Important Product Defrosting Information

COLOR CHANGES

Color changes can occur in frozen foods. The bright red color of meat as purchased usually turns dark or pale brown depending on its variety. This may be due to a lack of oxygen, or freezer burn. Freezing doesn’t usually cause color changes in poultry. However, the bones and the meat near them can become dark. Bone darkening results when pigment seeps through the porous bones of young poultry into the surrounding tissues when the poultry meat is frozen and thawed.

 

SAFE THAWING

Never thaw foods in a garage, basement, car, dishwasher, or plastic garbage bag, out on the kitchen counter, outdoors, or on the porch. These methods can leave your foods unsafe to eat. There are three safe ways to thaw food: in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave. The last two methods may be the fastest, however, the food must be cooked immediately after thawing. We recommend to move the package from the freezer to the refrigerator and let it thaw for 4-5 days. If not for a quicker way, thaw the un-opened package in room temperature water for about 20-30 min.

 

REFREEZING

Food thawed in the refrigerator is safe to refreeze without cooking, although there may be a loss of quality due to the moisture lost through thawing. After cooking, foods that were previously frozen are safe to refreeze. If previously cooked foods are thawed in the refrigerator, you may refreeze the unused portion. Freeze leftovers within 3-4 days. Do not refreeze any foods left outside the refrigerator longer than 2 hours; 1 hour in temperatures above 90 °F. If you purchase previously frozen meat, poultry, or fish at a retail store, you can refreeze if it has been handled safely.