Spices, yoghurts, frozen foods and cans are some of the products that can continue to be consumed when they exceed the date printed on the packaging. The same does not happen with meat, a very perishable food that once expired must be discarded to avoid possible poisoning. And if we keep it in the freezer a day before it spoils? Will it be safe to consume when we thaw it?
Food technologist Miguel Ángel Lurueña answers these questions. "The ideal is not to wait until the last moment to freeze it, but to know what we have in the pantry or fridge, when it expires, and eat it when it's time, without having to make similar decisions."
However, if the product is properly frozen on the same day it is about to expire, there is no risk. Low temperatures prevent bacteria from growing further (pathogens multiply between 4 and 65°C), so it doesn't matter if food is past its expiration date once frozen. "It's as if time stood still," says Lurueña.
When we store meat in the freezer, it must be protected in a container or wrapper that prevents ice from damaging it or coming into contact with the stored products. It can be wrapped in plastic wrap or stored in a container, but you must avoid leaving a lot of air inside the container so that the surface layer of the food does not freeze and cold burns that dry or crack it occur, recommends the expert.
Meat can be preserved both raw and cooked, but the food technologist prefers the first option. "During cooking and freezing, the product loses water, and the texture becomes rough." Also, defrosting it is less safe, because we will most likely use the microwave, which may not reach the necessary temperature (65 °C) to eliminate possible bacteria. Although it is difficult to get intoxicated like that.
If we freeze a very large piece of meat, it can be cut into pieces, frozen in different containers and consumed in batches. But in the event that we are a large family and we can eat it all at once once thawed, it is best to freeze the whole piece, because it will suffer less damage. Miguel Ángel Lurueña warns that small pieces lose more water and dry out faster.
How long the meat lasts in the freezer will depend on the size and the animal in question. The Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU) indicates in a report that beef steaks can last between six and twelve months, chicken and turkey, one year; pork chops, four to six months; minced meat, from three to four months; and the fresh sausages, between one and two.
To defrost, the best method is to leave the meat in the fridge and wait for it to warm up little by little. But when placing it on the refrigerator shelves, it's important to store it in an airtight container so it doesn't drip on other foods as it warms up. The microwave can also be an option if we don't have time, but the food can defrost in pieces and lose organoleptic qualities.
