Strawberry Fruit Problems Frozen Defrosted Frozen Again
Can you refreeze fruit once it's been thawed? It's a great question and I've received many emails asking me that very question.
The short answer is yes you can refreeze frozen fruit! But it's a little more complicated than that. There are a few things we need to consider in order to safely refreeze once frozen fruit as well as maintain as many nutrients as possible.
So if you need to know how to refreeze fruit once it's already been thawed, read on for everything you need to know.
Yes, You Can Refreeze Thawed Fruit
I love keeping my freezer stocked with frozen fruit. It's a great way to keep fruit on hand even when it's out of season.
Frozen fruit is flash frozen right after harvest, locking in both flavor and nutrients. On top of that, frozen fruit is just plain convenient to use.
Whenever you want to add some fruit to a smoothie, ice cream, cheesecake, or just for a tasty snack, simply take it out of the freezer and enjoy!
The only issue with frozen fruit is if you take more fruit out of the freezer than you need. But that's an easy problem to solve because you can safely refreeze leftover fruit even after it has completely thawed if you use a little care.
How to Safely Refreeze Frozen Fruit
Frozen fruit's shelf life once thawed depends on how fresh it was when initially frozen. Once thawed, frozen fruit has a shelf life ranging from 2 days to 1 week.
Frozen fruit holds up best when thawed in the fridge, if not immediately consumed. That means formerly frozen fruit should only be refrozen if it's been thawed in the fridge for no more than 2-4 days.
Keep in mind that the process of thawing frozen fruit will result in nutrient loss. But it is safe to refreeze frozen fruit as long as it was still good when refrozen.
In order to safely refreeze fruit, you will need freezer safe bags or containers. If your frozen fruit was purchased from the grocery store, do not refreeze it in it's original bag. You will not be able to seal the bag well enough to avoid freezer burn.
Portion out your fruit into single use amounts and transfer each serving into it's own freezer safe container or bag.
Seal your bag or container and place your fruit in the back of the freezer. This will allow your fruit to freeze as quickly as possible. The back of the freezer also stays the coldest whenever the freezer is opened. This will also help you avoid freezer burn.
Keep you frozen fruit in the freezer until you are ready to use it. Do not refreeze your fruit once it has been thawed a second time.
Because fruit is up to 80% water, it will be a more mushy consistency once being frozen a second time. For that reason, refrozen fruit is best used in smoothies, fillings and other recipes that do not require a presentation that includes the fruit itself.
What Types of Fruit can be Refrozen
While I have not refrozen every type of fruit in existence, in theory any fruit should refreeze fine as long as it was stored properly prior to refreezing.
Be sure that your fruit was stored in the fridge for no more than 2 or 3 days prior to refreezing.
Here are some fruits I have successfully refrozen myself.
- Blueberries
- Blackberries
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Cantaloupe
- Bananas
Related: How to Refreeze Strawberries
Refreezing Frozen Fruit FAQ
Can you refreeze frozen fruit after cooking?
Yes, you can refreeze frozen fruit that has been cooked as long as it is frozen directly after cooking. In fact, cooking fruit prior to refreezing is an excellent way to go about it. Once your fruit has cooled, transfer it to a freezer safe bag or container and place it in the back of freezer until you are ready to use it.
Can you refreeze fruit that has been left at room temperature overnight?
No, fruit that has been left out overnight should not be refrozen. If the fruit shows signs of turning bad it should be composted or disposed of.
Is it safe to eat frozen food that has thawed and refrozen?
This question comes up frequently following a power outage. And it depends on if your fruit reached temps above 40 degrees for any period of time. As long as your fruit stayed below 40 degrees it is safe to refreeze your fruit for later use.
Can you refreeze thawed frozen berries?
Yes, berries can be refrozen as long as they were properly stored during the thawing process. Berries should remain in the fridge once removed from the freezer and stored for no more than 2 or 3 days prior to refreezing.
Source: https://treatdreams.com/how-to-refreeze-frozen-fruit/
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