Not suitable for home freezing

[zetec]

Had some M&S fishcakes for dinner earlier, I'd bought them a week or so ago, didn't get to eat them so bunged them in the freezer. Last night I got them out to defrost, today at lunchtime I cooked and ate them. Only after eating I noticed on the box it said 'not suitable for home freezing'. Now I am sure everything can be frozen, yet some stuff freezes better than others, is this true? I haven't fallen to the curse of the brown wee yet, why were they not suitable for home freezing?

[freecar]

It could be because it was shipped frozen (a lot of fish is) and has since defrosted so refreezing isn't a good idea.

[ali_kat]

AFAIAA it has been frozen previously

[stevensdrs]

freecar said:

It could be because it was shipped frozen (a lot of fish is) and has since defrosted so refreezing isn't a good idea.

Yup. Most likely reason.

[craigjm]

freecar said:

It could be because it was shipped frozen (a lot of fish is) and has since defrosted so refreezing isn't a good idea.

+1

probably won't make you ill but they have to err on the side of caution when labelling.

[zetec]

freecar said:

It could be because it was shipped frozen (a lot of fish is) and has since defrosted so refreezing isn't a good idea.

Why?

I was once told anything can be frozen, the box just says not suitable for freezing, not, do not freeze or your insides will become your outsides!!

[freecar]

zetec said:

freecar said:

It could be because it was shipped frozen (a lot of fish is) and has since defrosted so refreezing isn't a good idea.

Why?

I was once told anything can be frozen, the box just says not suitable for freezing, not, do not freeze or your insides will become your outsides!!

Why what?

Why was it shipped frozen?

Ask the supermarket.

Why can't you refreeze previously frozen food?

Because when it defrosted bacteria will grow, freezing them then thawing is giving twice the number of bacteria a chance to grow and therefore feast upon your fleshy insides. The calculations for safe cooking temperature aren't based upon a base line of double the opportunity to accumulate bacteria and therefore can't be relied upon so you'd have to (perhaps substantially) overcook your food to ensure that enough bacteria has been eliminated to ensure your good health.

[craigjm]

zetec said:

Why?

I was once told anything can be frozen, the box just says not suitable for freezing, not, do not freeze or your insides will become your outsides!!

You are only supposed to freeze things once. If the fish were frozen at sea, defrosted to make your cakes and then refrozen when you got home there is a chance (albeit slim) that you would get ill from bacterial growth. Food companies have to state what it says on the pack so you can't sue.

[zetec]

freecar said:

zetec said:

freecar said:

It could be because it was shipped frozen (a lot of fish is) and has since defrosted so refreezing isn't a good idea.

Why?

I was once told anything can be frozen, the box just says not suitable for freezing, not, do not freeze or your insides will become your outsides!!

Why can't you refreeze previously frozen food?

Because when it defrosted bacteria will grow, freezing them then thawing is giving twice the number of bacteria a chance to grow and therefore feast upon your fleshy insides. The calculations for safe cooking temperature aren't based upon a base line of double the opportunity to accumulate bacteria and therefore can't be relied upon so you'd have to (perhaps substantially) overcook your food to ensure that enough bacteria has been eliminated to ensure your good health.

Cheers

So am I right in saying that there's two reasons for not being suitable for home freezing, one being the health risk as you have described, the other being the quality issue?

[freecar]

zetec said:

Cheers

So am I right in saying that there's two reasons for not being suitable for home freezing, one being the health risk as you have described, the other being the quality issue?

Yes it could have been for either reason but Im almost certain it'll be because it's been frozen and thawed already. If t were a quality question I'd expect "not suitable" to become "not recommended" in the wording.

[sgrimshaw]

craigjm said:

You are only supposed to freeze things once. If the fish were frozen at sea, defrosted to make your cakes and then refrozen when you got home there is a chance (albeit slim) that you would get ill from bacterial growth. Food companies have to state what it says on the pack so you can't sue.

As I understand it, you can freeze things twice, but only once per "state".

So, you can:

1. Freeze it raw.

2. Defrost.

3. Cook it.

4. Freeze it after cooking.

5. Defrost.

6. Cook it again (reheat).

[ali_kat]

[fadeaway]

sgrimshaw said:

As I understand it, you can freeze things twice, but only once per "state".

So, you can:

1. Freeze it raw.

2. Defrost.

3. Cook it.

4. Freeze it after cooking.

5. Defrost.

6. Cook it again (reheat).

Correct

[craigjm]

sgrimshaw said:

As I understand it, you can freeze things twice, but only once per "state".

So, you can:

1. Freeze it raw.

2. Defrost.

3. Cook it.

4. Freeze it after cooking.

5. Defrost.

6. Cook it again (reheat).

Yes I think that has hit it on the head

[Dogwatch]

I thought the problem was not so much the bacteria (which are killed off by heat) but the toxins they produce which are unaffected by the heat so can still upset your insides and keep you glued to the bog - so to speak.

[freecar]

sgrimshaw said:

As I understand it, you can freeze things twice, but only once per "state".

So, you can:

1. Freeze it raw.

2. Defrost.

3. Cook it.

4. Freeze it after cooking.

5. Defrost.

6. Cook it again (reheat).

That is correct however it doesn't change the OPs position, freezing food he's bought when they've already been frozen and defrosted by Tesco, which isn't to be recommended.

However the above steps don't apply to ready meals as some of the ingredients may be part cooked before freezing.

[zetec]

Still no adverse effects lol, had another look at the box, says contains raw fish so I presume fish had previously been frozen.

Oh and freecar, was M&S not Tesco