February 25, 2024 | 05:00 pm PT
My household typically shops leftover meat within the freezer. Nevertheless, some imagine that consuming meat saved within the freezer for a very long time can enhance the danger of most cancers. Is that this true? (Hong, 34, Hanoi)
Reply:
The follow of storing leftover meat within the freezer is frequent amongst many households. There’s a false impression that protecting meat within the freezer for an prolonged interval can generate toxins that trigger most cancers; nevertheless, this perception isn’t supported by correct data. It’s true, although, that the longer meat is saved, its dietary worth decreases, which might enhance the danger of toxin formation and doubtlessly hurt our well being.
The utmost storage time for meat within the freezer is determined by varied components, together with the kind of meat and the storage temperature. Temperature is essentially the most important issue. If the temperature is just too excessive, the meat can spoil and decay resulting from being put in a good atmosphere for bacterial development. Conversely, if meat is saved at excessively low temperatures within the freezer, it will possibly freeze, lose moisture, and bear structural adjustments.
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Storing leftover meat within the freezer is a typical pratice. Illustration photograph by Unsplash |
Typically, meat packaged for export is saved in chilly storage warehouses at very low temperatures, typically round -50 levels Celsius, and could be stored for as much as six months. Family freezer compartments, which generally keep temperatures from -12 to -18 levels Celsius, enable meat to be saved safely for a few month. Thus, if your loved ones shops meat within the freezer for as much as a month after which thaws it properly, it ought to nonetheless be protected to devour.
However, if meat is saved within the freezer for too lengthy, microorganisms can adapt, turning into much less energetic however nonetheless able to gradual improvement, which can result in toxin manufacturing and the danger of different illnesses.
Furthermore, any sort of meals, not simply meat, will bear adjustments in its parts if saved within the freezer for too lengthy. Whereas the meat could not present indicators of spoilage, its style and taste can’t match that of recent meat. It’s advisable to devour the meat as quickly as doable and keep away from extended storage.
Dr. Nguyen Duy Thinh
Institute of Meals Expertise and Biotechnology, Hanoi College of Science and Expertise