How long after Best Before on Frozen Food?

aidan_walsh

Hey guys,

Just a quick question for you. Generally, how long after the best before date on frozen food is it safe to use? Found some stuff in the freezer that has been there years (obviously dump) but there is some that had the BB date as the start of the year.

I presume that since its frozen it should still be safe to use these items? Or would I be likely to be paying a visit to my GP?

subway

as i understand it,
its frozen so no bacteria etc will grow, so food should techicall y be "safe"
however, its likely that being frozen so long will have damaged the food, either making it taste funny, or not ver digestible.
hence "best before" instead of "use by"

your freezer should have a guide prinbted on the insude
cow 12 months
pig 6 mohts etc etc

go by thast and you should be fine

Faith

I found some chicken in the freezer before which had been there for an indiscriminate time, most likely about 6-8 months. Either way, I cooked it and ate it, and puked everywhere that night. So if it looks funny, leave it be!

Mr Magnolia

Bin it if it's still there 3 months after freezing

Krusty_Clown

its frozen so no bacteria etc will grow, so food should techicall y be "safe"

In an ideal freezer, that would be the case, but because domestic freezers are less than perfect, and may not be in a prefect state of repair, food will suffer over time (throw in a couple of power cuts for good measure)... Freezer burn, build up of water crystals etc and of will degrade the food over time, particularly if not sealed in airtight containers (most supermarket packaging allows some air to permeate.

I'd stick with the manufacturer's (freezer and food) recommended guidelines. Listen to Faith! You don't want a nasty case of eColi.

rockbeer

Much depends on what kind of food it is.

Meat, fish & dairy - throw it away! These are high risk foods.

Some cooked grains I'd be cautious of too, especially rice.

Veg, fruit, bread, pastry etc contain very little protein (almost all bacteria need protein to multiply), so the risk of getting ill is massively lower. If your freezer is fairly new and of decent quality, you're a good bit safer taking your chances with these. But don't quote me on that if it all goes horribly wrong.

aidan_walsh

Heh, freezer is about 10 years old.

It was nothing major yesterday, just some pizza baguette things that had the date as January of this year. But I just decided to ask here see what the general guidelines are, for my own information.

Thanks guys.

silvo

My dad once tricked me into eating sausage rolls that had been in the freezer for over a year and a half. I wasnt very well afterwards.

Mr Magnolia

He sounds like a lovely chap.