mullethunter Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 Dear wise ones - I'd welcome your wisdom (again)! I've just heated some frozen (cooked) pasties that we have from my sisters wedding almost exactly a year ago. I know they were properly cooled and frozen and have been at -18 in a proper freezer, but I've just read that you should only keep them for 4 months. I've never paid any attention to the guidelines on how long you should keep things in the freezer, and regularly go much longer than suggested, but is this actually a bad idea? I don't really mind taking the risk myself (halfway through my roll yesterday lunchtime I saw mould on the bread but I still ate it ) but would feel awful if I poisoned anyone else! What do you all think / do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 As far as I'm concerned, if something is frozen, it's not getting any older! I know they've dug up tins of stuff from Captain Scott's hut in the Antarctic and they were still edible. Food does deteriorate a bit as in it tends to dry out if it's frozen for a long time, but will honestly say that I have never paid any attention to dates on frozen food, I have stuff in my freezer that I know is at least two years old and it's absolutely fine. I think it's all about cooling it quickly before freezing, and heating it thoroughly after defrosting - those are the risk points as far as food poisoning is concerned. PS: I wouldn't have eaten the roll, but only because I loathe the taste of mouldy bread - I happily s"Ooops, word censored!"e mould off jam etc and eat it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bramble Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 I can only echo what Olly has said. I pay absolutely no attention to best before dates, particularly on frozen food - if you know it's been frozen solid throughout the time period, I don't think you have anything to worry about. It's when food partially (or fully) defrosts and is then refrozen that I would have concerns other than that I wouldn't worry at all. Enjoy!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted September 16, 2016 Author Share Posted September 16, 2016 Thanks both. That's what I've always thought but started to doubt myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 I have used stock that is 5 years old from my freezer and fruit of a similar age to make jam. I will only use raw meat under a year of freezing but other than that I don't worry. Bread dries out quickly especially rolls and the fat on bacon goes yellow and tastes funny after a while. Funny that I should read now because OH just walked in from the kitchen saying that we should throw away our basil plant because it went out of date on 14 August. Needless to say it is bushy and healthy and the pilot is sitting on the dated wrapper. He was joking by the way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kinsk Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 I'm the same. Texture and appearance might deteriorate, things can dry out or get freezer burn but safetywise I have no worries about how long something has been in the freezer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted December 6, 2016 Share Posted December 6, 2016 Freezer burn occurs with exposure to air. I have one of those vacuum food machines and it's brilliant. All the air is excluded and food keeps forever Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted December 6, 2016 Share Posted December 6, 2016 Freezer burn occurs with exposure to air.I have one of those vacuum food machines and it's brilliant. All the air is excluded and food keeps forever OOh what kind do you have - always fancied one of these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
