Can old frozen fruit make you sick?
Lesser known and lower in number — but still important — are a handful of foodborne illness outbreaks that have also been tied to frozen berries. According to the FDA, frozen berries caused three hepatitis A outbreaks and one norovirus outbreak in the United States from 1997 to 2016.
Frozen fruit will last up to 18 months
The US Department of Health recommends consuming frozen fruits like berries and melons within 10 to 18 months of purchase. Meanwhile, fruits like bananas should be consumed within 2-3 months, apples within 8 months, and kiwi shouldn't even be frozen.
Frozen fruit does not expire or go bad. Any frozen food is safe to use because bacteria and other pathogens can't grow in temperatures of 0 degrees Fahrenheit and below, according to the USDA. But frozen fruit loses its quality after some time.
But… the fruit will not stay safe indefinitely. Signs that frozen fruit has gone bad, rotten, or spoiled include discoloration (dull color) and a frostbitten appearance with white colored ice crystals. While it may still remain safe to eat, the fruit will deteriorate and probably taste bland or have a weird texture.
But though frozen produce is convenient and generally safe, it may still harbor bacteria that cause foodborne illness, such as Listeria monocytogenes or salmonella.
Properly stored, frozen mixed berries will maintain best quality for about 12 months in the freezer, although they will usually remain safe to eat after that.
“Usually, frozen foods are safe indefinitely, but after a while, they won't taste as good once you thaw and cook them.” The ideal conditions for freezing food, whether it's raw or cooked, is 0 F (or -18 C), although Qassim says raw food lasts longer in a frozen state.
Most freezer burned food will develop ice crystals and its coloration may change, giving it an overall dull appearance. Meats often take on a gray-brown color and may look tough or leathery, while fruits and vegetables are visibly dry and shriveled.
While fresh strawberries are recommended to be eaten within 2 to 3 days when stored in the refrigerator, frozen strawberries can last up to 8 to 12 months according to the FDA.
Eating fresh produce provides important health benefits, but sometimes raw fruits and vegetables may cause food poisoning from harmful germs such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria.
Does frozen fruit contain bacteria?
Unfortunately, frozen fruits and vegetables have been associated with recalls and foodborne illnesses outbreaks. There are numerous steps during their production where contamination with pathogens can occur such as during production, harvest, post-harvest handling, processing, packaging, and distribution.
...
The most common sources of contamination are:
- food being grown in contaminated water.
- produce being picked or packed by a person infected with hepatitis A.
- produce being washed in contaminated water.
Frozen blueberries are best within six months, but can be stored for up to 10.
Freezer burn is the result of moisture loss from storage in the freezer. It leads to changes in the quality of your food and may result in ice crystals, shriveled produce, and tough, leathery, and discolored meats. Despite the quality changes, freezer burnt food is safe to eat.
But fear not, a little freezer burn never hurt anyone. It's entirely safe to eat foods that have a little burn, though they might not be as tasty. Texture of freezer burnt foods typically change a bit, so your burger patties might not taste as great as they once did, but they're still quality, edible food.
If kept frozen continuously, chicken will be safe indefinitely, so after freezing, it's not important if any package dates expire. For best quality, taste and texture, keep whole raw chicken in the freezer up to one year; parts, 9 months; and giblets or ground chicken, 3 to 4 months.
The quick answer is yes. Freezer burn is simply the result of air coming into contact with food, and while it may not look appetizing, it is usually safe to eat. 1 However, since freezer burn often affects the flavor and texture of food, you may not want to consume food with severe freezer burn.
Food can remain frozen indefinitely and technically be safe to eat, as bacteria will not grow. However, over time all frozen food will deteriorate in quality and become unappetising to eat when defrosted.
The most common way to describe the taste of freezer burn is simply “not good.” It's an unpleasant taste. The moisture from your food has been removed which leaves your food dry and flavorless, though with an odd aftertaste that sticks around. It can impact the flavor of the rest of your meal.
...
If the listeria infection spreads to your nervous system, signs and symptoms can include:
- Headache.
- Stiff neck.
- Confusion or changes in alertness.
- Loss of balance.
- Convulsions.
What are the symptoms of E. coli?
Symptoms of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) infection vary for each person, but often include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), and vomiting. Some people may have a fever, which usually is not very high (less than 101˚F/38.5˚C). Most people get better within 5 to 7 days.
Symptoms begin 6 to 24 hours after exposure: Diarrhea, stomach cramps. Usually begins suddenly and lasts for less than 24 hours. Vomiting and fever are not common.
Between December 2018 and April 2019, 1050 frozen fruit and vegetable samples were collected. Of these, 99% were of a satisfactory or borderline microbiological quality. Eleven samples (1%) contained ≥100 cfu/g of Escherichia coli (considered unsatisfactory in products labelled as ready-to-eat).
In the United States, only one outbreak implicating frozen vegetables was reported during 2009 to 2019. It was associated with Listeria during 2013 to 2016 causing nine cases and three deaths. The contamination source was the food processing environment and vegetables were probably blanched.
...
Symptoms of Hepatitis A
- Jaundice, which causes yellow skin or eyes.
- Stomach upset or pain.
- Dark urine or light-colored stools.
Hepatitis A vaccination recommended for people who consumed recalled frozen fruit. Anyone with this frozen fruit is asked to discard the product or return it to the store. It should not be eaten.
You can catch hepatitis A if: You eat or drink food or water that has been contaminated by stools (feces) containing the hepatitis A virus. Unpeeled and uncooked fruits and vegetables, shellfish, ice, and water are common sources of the disease.
If you spot any dry patches or discoloration in your frozen blueberries, it means that frozen burn has begun. It doesn't make the berries inedible. However, make sure you finish those berries fast before its quality further degrades.
But if you've come back from the grocery store with one too many cartons of berries, you can still freeze them yourself! While fresh strawberries are recommended to be eaten within 2 to 3 days when stored in the refrigerator, frozen strawberries can last up to 8 to 12 months according to the FDA.
You can freeze blackberries and store them in the freezer so that you can access the fresh fruit year-round: Freezing blackberries can extend their shelf life up to nine months.
Is it OK to eat frozen berries?
Frozen fruits and berries are safe to consume raw, cooked or even frozen out of the bag. However, frozen vegetables should always be cooked before consumption to minimize any foodborne illness risk.
Eating old berries can make you sick. Blueberries that have begun to rot or form mold can harbor bacteria that cause sickness or allergic reactions. Throw away rotten or moldy berries immediately. Freeze berries to keep them safe to eat longer.
Frozen blueberries are best within six months, but can be stored for up to 10.
BLUEBERRIES — COMMERCIALLY FROZEN
Properly stored, frozen blueberries will maintain best quality for about 12 months in the freezer, although they will usually remain safe to eat after that.
If dry spots or discolorations have developed on the frozen strawberries, freezer burn has begun to set in - this will not make the frozen strawberries unsafe to eat, but it will harm the texture and taste.
You can leave blueberries at room temperature if you plan to eat them in the next day or so, but after that you should transfer them to the fridge—they can stay there for five to 10 days. Of course, you can freeze them if you want to keep them longer than that. Frozen blueberries will last about six months.
What Freezer Burn Is. Freezer burn is a term for the moisture lost from frozen food. It's what happens when meat left in your freezer for a long time loses moisture and begins to look discolored or shriveled. The surface may be covered in ice crystals.
