Kristen Cook
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If frozen food has exceeded its shelf life, you do not necessarily have to throw it away. But you should be particularly careful with meat and fish.
Shelf life of deep freeze exceeded: All information
The best-before date indicates the point in time at which food can be kept and eaten.
- However, this does not necessarily mean that the food has expired after this date. There is often a slight change in taste and consistency afterward before it spoils.
- In some cases, frozen foods can be eaten past the best-before date. However, this only applies if the food was frozen almost continuously and the cold chain was not interrupted.
- If the food shows no signs of being expired, you can consume it. However, you should not take any chances with meat and fish, as this can lead to food poisoning.
Is frozen food still good? How to recognize it
You can usually tell whether the frozen food is still good by the following signs:
- If the frozen food has noticeably changed color or consistency, you should no longer eat it. A particularly strong odor is also a sign that the product is spoiled.
- You should also dispose of the food in any case if there is mold or discoloration. The same applies to products with frost burn. This is shown in the form of bright spots.
- After you have thawed the frozen items, you can taste them to see if the product has an off-taste. In this case, consumption should be avoided.
- How long meat can be kept depends on the variety. Varieties with more fat usually have a longer shelf life. When the meat has expired, you can tell by the formation of dark spots, frost burn, and an unpleasant taste.
- Spots also form on fruit and vegetables when they are no longer good. In this case, you will notice a rancid odor and an unpleasant taste in dairy products.
- Pasta often has white spots when it has expired. Fish has a very strong odor and also have a rancid aftertaste. If the fries are expired, they will no longer be crispy during preparation.
