Chilling or freezing is one of the methods to preserve foods. We freeze meat products, herbs, and even oils. However, there are certain foods that aren’t supposed to be stored in a freezer. Freezing these foods can affect their quality and even lead to negative effects on health.
Here are few foods that you should never store in freezer:
Dairy Products
Some dairy products become watery in the freezer. However, there are some tricks: high-fat cream, whipped cream, and cream with sugar; milk (in its original container); and cheeses (with more than 40% fat) are still safe to be stored in a freezer.
Raw potatoes
Logically, if potatoes are best kept in a cool and dry place, it’s not a good idea to freeze them. Raw potatoes usually turn black in the freezer. But you can freeze potato puree for 4 to 6 months.
Herbs
It is not recommended to freeze basil, chives, parsley and other soft herbs alone in sprigs. If you really want to preserve the herbs, you can store it in ice cube mold along with olive oil.
Eggs
Freezing eggs in their shell poses a health threat. Freezing temperatures cause the egg’s water content to expand, which can crack the shell and let bacteria in.
Certain vegetables and fruits
You should not freeze vegetables with high water content, such as salad greens, cucumbers, or radishes. When defrosted, they will lose consistency and flavor. The same applies for fruits: ones with high water content such as watermelon and cantaloupe will soften and become doughy if kept in the freezer.
Thawed foods
During thawing, microorganisms that don’t die at low temperatures develop. If you refreeze the food, when defrosting, the amount of bacteria will be higher than it was during the first freezing.
Hot food
Always, always air-cool leftovers before you freeze them. Freezing food when hot will increase the temperature of your freezer, which resulting in a rapid growth bacteria. Moreover, storing hot food in your freezer can damage your freezer.
Canned goods
Just like eggs, when the liquid inside the can freezes it expands, causing the can to crack or explode. It will also take forever to defrost them.
Badly packaged foods
Foods that have not been frozen in airtight or properly wrapped containers may develop freezer burn. Although food afflicted with freezer burn is safe to eat, the color, taste, texture, and smell of it will be affected.
Condiments
Ketchup, sauces, and spices have a really long shelf-life, so you shouldn’t really need to freeze them. If you decided to freeze them, you’ll find that all the ingredients would separate and you’d be left with a watery, jelly substance that is not appealing at all.
