Storage periods are recommended to guarantee food quality only. If these periods are exceeded, taste may be affected but as long as the product has been kept at 0° F or below there is no question of safety.
The homemaker’s greatest concern with a home freezer is mechanical or power failure, which can result in food losses. Some but not all of these can be avoided. Freezers are very dependable mechanical devices yet they do fail. Most failures develop after 5 or more years of use.
The homeowner should clean dust from coils of the freezer once or twice each year in strict accordance with the instruction manual for the unit. At this time watch for any changes that have occurred. Have a dealer or repairman check unusual noises or excessive running.
Air circulation around the coils should not be covered or blocked in any way. Check the plug itself for a firm fit. If the plug is loose in the receptacle, it may fall or be easily bumped out without notice. Replace loose plugs. Better yet, some hardware stores sell clips that clamp the plug in by means of the screw that holds the receptacle plate onto the outlet.
Freezer owners should know where the closest commercial freezer is, in case of an extensive failure. Check your home freezer after thunderstorms or power failures, since freezers have been known to be damaged occasionally when power falls or surges.
Don’t Open
A well packed freezer will hold the product for many hours even if the unit is not operating. Normally, power failures are short in duration and no food thawing results. If the power is off, do not open the freezer as this will hasten thawing. Telephone or otherwise determine when the power will be turned on again.
Sometimes freezer failure is discovered only when a homemaker goes to the freezer to get something. If this occurs, condition of the food should be determined immediately. Discard all foods that are thawed and warm, since extensive bacterial growth may have taken place.
Foods may be saved if they remain frozen; or if they are thawed but very cold, about 40° F, and have been held no longer than 1 or 2 days at refrigerator temperatures after thawing. Bacteria grow only slowly in thawed but cold foods. Prompt refreezing of thawed cold foods will lower the quality but not result in spoilage or danger. If you have doubt as to whether the foods are cold or warm, throw them out as the safest course.
Once condition of the foods is determined, plan fast for the next step. If the freezer cannot be repaired quickly, make arrangements to move the food to a commercial locker plant or another freezer. To do so, package the products closely together in paper bags. Place these in cardboard cartons lined and covered with newspapers for insulation, and transfer them immediately.