Then gently press the air towards that opening and out of the bag. To push out any extra air, place your food in the bag and close it nearly all the way, leaving a small pocket for air to escape. However, you can still achieve a similar result with a regular pack of zip-top freezer bags. If you're willing to make the investment, an at-home vacuum sealer is a workhorse in your kitchen that will draw out any air and keep freezer burn at bay. One extra step worth taking is transferring your food to airtight containers. One solution is to tightly press a layer of plastic wrap or wax paper against the surface of your ice cream before replacing the lid.įor other items like frozen fruit or meat, the packaging it came in at the supermarket typically won't cut it. For containers like ice cream cartons, there are still pockets of air that can cause freezer burn.

It's important to remove as much exposure to air as you can. Creating a physical barrier between your food and the cold air prevents moisture evaporation from turning into ice crystals. 'Freezer burn is prevented if a product is packed in tight-fitting, water-proof, vapor-proof material,' writes Evans. You should also properly package your food.

It may add an extra step to stowing away leftovers, but we promise it's worth the effort. you can easily identify what foods to thaw and eat first. The effects of freezer burn get more pronounced over time, so keeping track of what you're storing and when to defrost it will keep the ice crystals at bay.Ī technique used in professional kitchens all over the country is labelling your food with a name and date. On the most basic level, you can avoid freezer burn by not keeping your food in the freezer long enough to develop it. However, there are some tips and tricks you can use to protect your precious groceries. How To Avoid Freezer BurnĪnything stored in your freezer is at risk of developing freezer burn. Often times, your food will taste stale and unpleasant. So even when you defrost and cook your freezer-burned food, the leathery texture, ugly discoloration, and musty flavor remain. 'Freezer burn increases oxygen contact with the food surface area and raises oxidative reactions, which irreversibly alter color, texture, and flavor,' writes Evans. However, that doesn't mean the flavor hasn't been impacted. It's entirely safe to eat, as long as it hasn't been frozen for longer than the FDA-recommended time period. Rest assured you won't get poisoned by eating food affected by freezer burn. Discolored meat in particular can raise alarm bells.

If you've ever seen a bad case of freezer burn, you may naturally worry about food safety. Yuck! How Does Freezer Burn Affect The Taste Of Your Food? If you have an ice maker or store ice in the freezer, your cubes will take on that musty smell and go on to infuse it into your beverages. Have you ever eaten something that was previously frozen and caught a whiff of a funky odor? Odds are freezer burn may be to blame.įreezer burn can give an almost plastic-like aroma to your food-and not just the freezer-burned food, but everything else in there. Generally, the foods most impacted by freezer burns are the ones that contain the most natural moisture.Īnother way to detect freezer burn is by smelling your food. With frozen fruits and vegetables, freezer-burned items can become shriveled as a result of the moisture loss-especially with berries, peas, and other small items. On items like meat, you can also see patches of gray or brown discoloration that may also have a leather-like texture. A dead giveaway is spotting a layer of ice crystals on your food. What Does Freezer Burn Look Like?įreezer burn can vary in appearance depending on its severity and what kind of food it's affecting. 'Since the water vapor pressure over the surface of the frozen product is higher than that of the air, a constant loss of water in the form of vapor is produced from unprotected materials,' she writes. Evans, editor of Frozen Food Science and Technology. This process is known as 'sublimation,' according to Judith A. That's where those ice crystals come from. When foods are exposed to that air, the moisture gets drawn out and refrozen on the surface of your steaks, ice cream, and fruit. To keep your food frozen, the cooling mechanism in your appliance keeps the air cold and dry. Because of the nature of the freezer's ambient environment, any food you place in there is at risk of developing freezer burn.

Frozen chicken with zer burn