How to Tell if Something is Freezer Burned (and How to Prevent It)

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Plus, learn what freezer burn is and what causes it
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Nothing’s worse than pulling a steak out of the freezer only to discover that it’s discolored and covered in ice crystals. When outside air gets in contact with frozen food, it can cause freezer burn, making the food unsightly and unappetizing. Freezer burn is relatively easy to spot, but there are a few signs to look out for. In this article, we’ll explain how to detect freezer burn and prevent it from happening . Plus, learn what freezer burn is, what causes it, whether it’s safe to eat , and more.

What does freezer burn look like?

Freezer burn causes discoloration, ice crystals, and dry spots in frozen foods. Meats often develop a dull gray or brown color and may look tough and leathery, while vegetables may appear dry and shriveled. Sometimes freezer burn also has a stale, plasticky odor.

Section 1 of 6:

Recognizing Freezer Burn

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  1. An opening in the food packaging or a tear in the plastic indicates that the food has been exposed to cold, outside air, which gives it a higher chance of being freezer-burned. If you’ve already opened the package and then put it back in your freezer, the remaining food is also more likely to become freezer-burned. [1]
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Detect Freezer Burn
    Most freezer-burned foods will develop ice crystals, some form of discoloration, and in some cases, dry areas. [2] The exact color of freezer burn discoloration depends on the food, but in general, freezer burn tends to look white on poultry (chicken), grayish-brown on meat (steak), and white on vegetables. Ice crystals usually form on ice cream.
    • Patches of wrinkling on meat or vegetables also indicate that your food might be freezer-burned.
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  3. Watermark wikiHow to Detect Freezer Burn
    Sniff the food and see if you detect an unpleasant, plasticky, and stale “freezer” odor. When fat from food comes in contact with air outside of its packaging, it oxidizes and creates the gross freezer flavor and smell we associate with freezer burn.
  4. Store-bought food is usually labeled with a storage date. Check the label and determine if the food has been stored past this date. Not all freezer-burned food is expired and not all expired food will be freezer-burned, but if your food is past the labeled date and has ice crystals, it is most likely freezer-burned. [3]
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Detect Freezer Burn
    Freezer-burned food is safe to eat, though it may not taste great. You can save a majority portion of the food you plan to eat by trimming off the freezer-burned areas and preparing and eating the rest of the food like normal. If the freezer burn is widespread, however, throwing the food out may be the best option, as it will be flavorless or have a strange flavor. [4]
    • The small ice crystals on freezer-burned ice cream are perfectly fine to eat, though they likely won’t be very appetizing.
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Section 2 of 6:

Preventing Freezer Burn

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Detect Freezer Burn
    Use freezer-specific, sealable plastic bags to store food, and double-wrap your frozen items to stop water from evaporating from your food. Food wrapped in store-bought packaging usually lasts about 1-2 months in the freezer, but if you plan to store your food longer than that, consider wrapping your food more securely. [5]
    • Try storing foods like soups, broths, and fruit in air-tight containers or vacuum-sealing fish and meat.
  2. Once store-bought frozen foods are opened, the moisture-vapor seal of the packaging is broken, which means it no longer keeps moisture from the frozen food. Repackage the food so it lasts longer, and label it with its expiration date so you know when to use it by. [6]
    • For example, put a whole bag of opened veggies inside a freezer bag, or take frozen fish sticks out of an opened box and put them in a small, freezer-safe container.
  3. To prevent freezer burn, your freezer temperature should be set to at least 0° Fahrenheit (-18° C), if not a bit lower. Any temperature higher than zero, or inconsistent temperatures from opening and closing the freezer door, can increase the risk of freezer burn. Check your freezer’s temperature, and adjust it if necessary. [7]
    • Limit the amount of time your freezer door is open, as constantly opening and closing it can lead to fluctuating temperatures. Close the door quickly after grabbing your food.
  4. If you’re freezing food you cooked, allow it to cool before putting it in the freezer. Storing hot foods in the freezer may raise the freezer’s temperature, causing the surrounding foods to thaw partially. When they refreeze, this leaves them more prone to freezer burn. [8]
    • In general, cool foods to 70° Fahrenheit (21° C) within two hours of cooking or to 41° Fahrenheit (5° C) within four hours. To do this, leave it uncovered in the refrigerator.
  5. All frozen food should be eaten within the recommended time period on the packaging labels. [9] If you remove your food from its original packaging, label the new container with the expiration date. Rotate your food regularly, making sure to use the oldest foods first.
    • Remember: freezer-burned food is not unsafe to eat; it just means it may not be at its best quality.
    • Avoid thawing and refreezing your food, as well, as refreezing makes food more prone to freezer burn.
  6. Ice dipping is a very old method to preserve food. Dip your raw food in water and allow the layer of water to freeze into an ice coating on the food. Dip the now ice-coated food in water again, and allow it to freeze into another layer of ice. Continue dipping until there is a thick enough coating of ice to protect the food from outside air. [10]
    • Fish is often dipped in ice for preservation. Other raw foods that are preserved this way include chicken and other meat.
    • Ice dips are also utilized to help save on plastic packaging costs.
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Section 3 of 6:

What is freezer burn?

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  1. Freezer burn is a term for the moisture lost from frozen food. Freezer burn is the damage that occurs when frozen food is dehydrated and oxidized, typically when it is improperly wrapped or stored for too long in the freezer. It isn’t an actual burn, but a process of moisture loss and air exposure that changes the food’s flavor, texture, and appearance. [11]
Section 4 of 6:

What causes freezer burn?

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  1. Freezer burn is usually caused by improper packaging or temperature. If food isn’t packaged properly or has been sitting in the freezer for too long, it is more likely to get freezer burn. Cold, dry air is more likely to permeate foods that aren’t tightly wrapped or are left open and stored in fluctuating temperatures. This air causes the food to dry out and become freezer-burned. [12]
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Section 5 of 6:

Is freezer-burned food safe to eat?

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  1. Freezer-burned food is perfectly safe to eat. Freezer burn draws out moisture and flavor from foods, but it doesn’t make them unsafe to consume. However, the taste and overall quality won’t be as good as fresh, non-freezer-burned foods. If there are only small spots of freezer burn, cut them off and prepare your food as you normally would. [13]
    • That being said, don’t eat food that has a foul odor or other signs of spoilage. Spoiled food is not safe to eat.
    • Freezer burn typically causes food to taste unusually dry and bland. Meats and vegetables may also be tougher to chew due to the lack of moisture.
    • To get rid of the freezer burn taste , try seasoning your food well when you prepare it. With ice cream, you can usually just scoop off the icy layer to get to the ice cream that’s less affected. Try including freezer-burned fruit in a smoothie , and rinse the ice crystals off of veggies.
Section 6 of 6:

Freezer Burn FAQs

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  1. 1
    What happens to meat during freezer burn? When meat gets freezer-burned, it loses moisture from its surface, giving it a dull gray or brown color. Some meats may also take on a grainy texture or appear dry and tough. [14] Freezer-burned meat will likely have an odd flavor because the oxygen in the outside air has pulled the flavor and color from the meat’s tissue.
  2. 2
    How does food freeze? All food contains some amount of water, which allows it to freeze. When you put food, like meat, in your freezer, it sits in a closed space with a constant dry temperature. This puts a lot of pressure on the food’s molecules, allowing it to freeze quickly. The more water the food has, the faster it will freeze. [15]
  3. 3
    Can you reverse freezer burn? It isn’t possible to reverse the effects of freezer burn. However, you may be able to minimize the freezer-burned taste by cutting off visibly freezer-burned portions of your food before you prepare it. [16] Try marinating freezer-burned meats or adding seasoning to your food to make it taste better.
  4. 4
    Does all food get freezer burn? Any food stored in a freezer is susceptible to freezer burn, including meat, veggies, fruit, and ice cream. This is because all food contains some amount of water, which gets drawn out when the food is exposed to cold, dry air. This causes it to become freezer-burned. [17]
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      • Freezer-burned food won't taste good, but it is not inedible. All it means is that that area of the food is lacking a lot of moisture.
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      • Wrap the item in freezer paper or store it in a freezer bag to keep freezer burn at bay.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.aia.edu.au/is-it-safe-to-serve-freezer-burned-food/
      2. ↑ https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/What-is-freezer-burn
      3. ↑ https://www.aia.edu.au/is-it-safe-to-serve-freezer-burned-food/
      4. ↑ https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/What-is-freezer-burn
      5. ↑ https://www.aia.edu.au/is-it-safe-to-serve-freezer-burned-food/
      6. ↑ https://www.aia.edu.au/is-it-safe-to-serve-freezer-burned-food/
      7. ↑ https://www.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats/healthy-tips/2019/10/is-it-safe-to-eat-freezer-burned-food
      8. ↑ https://www.aia.edu.au/is-it-safe-to-serve-freezer-burned-food/
      9. ↑ http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/storagetimes.html
      1. ↑ https://extension.psu.edu/understanding-the-process-of-freezing
      2. ↑ https://www.aia.edu.au/is-it-safe-to-serve-freezer-burned-food/
      3. ↑ https://www.aia.edu.au/is-it-safe-to-serve-freezer-burned-food/
      4. ↑ https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/What-is-freezer-burn
      5. ↑ https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/What-is-freezer-burn
      6. ↑ https://extension.psu.edu/understanding-the-process-of-freezing
      7. ↑ https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/What-is-freezer-burn
      8. ↑ https://www.eatingwell.com/article/8008874/is-it-safe-to-eat-freezer-burned-food/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      Storing food in the freezer is an easy and safe way to keep it fresh for future use, but when outside air gets into your frozen food, it can lead to freezer burn. If you think your food has freezer burn, remove it from the packaging and check it for dry areas, discoloration, or ice crystals, which are all signs of freezer burn. You might also detect an unpleasant, plastic-y or stale freezer odor. While freezer burned food isn’t unsafe to eat, it might not taste as good, so trim off the bad spots and plan to eat the rest as usual. To learn how to prevent freezer burn, keep reading!

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