How long can food be kept safely in a freezer?
You are here: JoCo > JCED > Food Safety > Frequently Asked Questions > Frozen Food Storage Commonly Asked Food Safety Questions Frozen Food Storage Source: Food Safety and Inspection Service, Consumer Education and Information. Q. What foods can be frozen? A. Almost any foods can be frozen. Some exceptions would be eggs in shells and cans of food. However, once the food is removed from the can, you may freeze it. Q. How does freezing keep food safe? A. Food stored constantly at 0°F will always be safe. Only the quality suffers with lengthy freezer storage. Freezing keeps food safe by slowing the movement of molecules, causing microbes to enter a dormant stage. Freezing preserves food for extended periods because it prevents the growth of microorganisms that cause both food spoilage and foodborne illness. Q. Does freezing destroy bacteria and parasites? A. Freezing to 0°F inactivates any microbes — bacteria, yeats, and molds — present in food.
