Right here, we’ve consulted meals security consultants to share their insights on the perfect cleansing frequency and the best methods to maintain your freezer bacteria-free. When you’ve given it a deep clear, you’ll be able to breathe a sigh of reduction, understanding that your meals will keep contemporary and your freezer will run effectively.
How lengthy does meals final within the freezer?
In response to the USDA, frozen meals will stay secure indefinitely if correctly frozen, however the size of time you retailer these meals within the freezer may have an effect on their high quality. Registered dietitian and meals security skilled Carrie Gabriel, RD, tells us, “Meats like bacon, sausage, beef, and poultry are good within the freezer [for] a median of three to 4 months. Soups and stews are good within the freezer [for] a median of two to a few months.”
The important thing right here is ensuring that the meals are correctly frozen within the first place. In response to Ashley Hawk, RD, a few of the tell-tale indicators that one thing has not been frozen accurately, and subsequently, has doable indicators of contamination embrace:
- Items of meat turning grey or dropping their shade
- Vibrant greens trying boring
- Meals feeling sticky
- Proof of spills
- Meals is partially thawed
Correct freezer storage requires sealing meals in an hermetic container and freezing it rapidly. Usually, “it’s best to toss these items after six months, particularly if an merchandise has freezer burn or ice crystals surrounding it. It’s possible the style and texture of the meals can be disagreeable,” Gabriel says.
How typically must you clear your freezer?
Whereas discarding previous meals is one essential a part of sustaining a clear freezer, it’s additionally essential to regularly give the entire thing a great scrub. Seems, freezers aren’t simply magical ice containers that by no means want consideration—they really recognize just a little TLC. So how typically do we have to add this job to our to-do listing? “A weekly fast wipe down, involving cleansing the cabinets and corners to forestall micro organism buildup is right, however you actually solely want a deep clear annually,” Gabriel says.
Nevertheless, chances are you’ll must deep clear your freezer extra typically. “If you happen to expertise energy outages or main meals spills. Undoubtedly examine your fridge handbook to see in case your mannequin requires extra common cleansing,” Gabriel explains.
How one can clear a freezer correctly
So how precisely are you speculated to deep clear a freezer? Hawk walks us by way of this pretty easy, three-step course of.
1. Take away meals and cabinets
Begin by unplugging the freezer to cease it from working. Take away all of the meals objects from the freezer, putting perishable objects in a cooler or one other freezer to maintain them chilly while you’re cleansing. In case your freezer has a major buildup of ice, depart the door open and permit the ice to soften.
2. Clear with multipurpose cleaner spray
As soon as the ice has melted, wipe up the water with towels. Put together a cleansing resolution by mixing equal components of heat water and dish cleaning soap. Utilizing a sponge, completely wipe down all surfaces, together with cabinets, drawers, and the freezer partitions. After cleansing, rinse all surfaces with clear water, after which dry every part with a clear towel.
3. Toss previous meals earlier than restocking
Earlier than turning the freezer again on, guarantee all surfaces are fully dry to forestall new ice from forming. Plug the freezer again in and kind by way of your frozen objects, discarding something expired or freezer-burned. When restocking the meals, make sure to label it with the date it was first frozen. This can enable you maintain observe of the meals’ freshness and cut back the overdue buildup of outdated objects.