Is my frozen chicken ok to use?

[mozart]

I appreciate and enjoy this exchange. I think on top of the food safety issue, there is the intrinsic element of personal instinct that must be considered. I am certainly not arguing the science behind the discussion.

In the end, whether some food is theoretically safe or not (and the vacuum-packed 2-yr old chicken probably is), we will all follow our own instincts of what to put or not to put in our mouth. My instincts are to trust what my brain tells me about some food, plus heed my experience, and all my senses, including my sense of self-preservation.

Even if one part of my brain says that something is probably (note that this means less than 100%!) safe to eat, another part knows that it's been frozen two long years and therefore anything could have happened within that time (power outage, multiple defrosting/refreezing, and what not). My brain also tells me not to take chances based on past experience (my friend's frozen durian!), especially not over a piddling amount of money. Especially if either the smell or taste or texture or appearance of the food is off, even if it's still probably safe I'd toss it, if only because I can't possibly put it in my mouth anyway.

Dang! Nothing to argue about there

Come on Chop, we could get this puppy to 100 if you would just cooperate

There are many foods that are "safe" that I choose not to eat. Unfortunately, there are far too many foods that I do choose to eat

 

[YT2095]

I think this is coming down to food Appeal now.
it`s not All about 2 senses Taste and Smell, but Eyes and Mind also.

and I must admit there are things out that are safe and even good for me to eat that I wouldn`t touch with welding gloves on

 

[Chopstix]

Would the folks who said that the 2-yr old frozen chicken is safe maintain the same arguments if we're talking about a 10 year-old or a 100 year-old frozen chicken?

For me it boils down to this, unless we have that particular 2-yr old chicken tested at a lab, no one can convince me that it's safe to eat. And even if we do that and it turns out to be safe, if I don't like its looks or smell or taste due to quality degradation, out the window it goes.

I must admit I've thrown out a lot of safe-to-eat stuff just because.

 

[GB]

If I was 100% sure that it had remained frozen the entire 10 years (and it was vacuum packed without the packaging being compromised) then yes I would still maintain it is safe. Now if you asked me if it was palatable, that would be a completely different story.

 

[Maverick2272]

The chicken will be 4 by the time this is sorted out, LOL.

 

[Chopstix]

If I was 100% sure that it had remained frozen the entire 10 years

GB, No Ifs please

The point is, we can't make assumptions about storage conditions not visible to us, over such a long stretch of time and still declare the petrified chicken safe.

 

[Maverick2272]

Properly wrapped or vacuum sealed, chicken (or any other meat) can last for a very long time in the freezer, especially if it's not a frost-free freezer. Store packaging has significant air spaces under the wrapper and that is where freezer burn occurs. That is why it is very improtant to rewrap foods before freezing. I'd eat a properly packaged chicken breast that's been in a (not frost-free) freezer for two years.

What is the importance of it not being a frost free freezer? Is it because the auto defrost cycle may take it above the safe zone temp?
Just curious because most new fridges are frost free, so if that feature is effecting how long you can keep frozen goods...?

 

[GB]

I am not making any assumptions. That is why I said if I was 100% sure that it has remained frozen.

If you eat chicken for dinner tonight, can you be 100% sure that it was handled properly the entire way from farm to table? Of course not. What if someone at the supermarket picked up that package of chicken and was going to buy it and decided not to. They then place it on a shelf next to the Doritos. A minimum wage high school stock boy sees the chicken 4 hours later and puts it back in the cooler. You buy it and bring it home. Is it safe? Do you eat chicken that you buy from the supermarket? Have you not made assumptions about the storage conditions not visable to you?

 

[Chopstix]

This poor controversial much-maligned chicken. I swear it aged overnight!

 

[Chopstix]

GB, yes we all make reasonable assumptions about the safety of the food we eat. But over two years or ten years of something not visible? Those assumptions will not be reasonable anymore. In fact, it's probably more reasonable to assume that the chicken is unsafe. At the cost of having to have the chicken tested at a lab, it may be more practical to throw out the chicken.

 

[GB]

I (obviously) disagree. My freezer, of which I am in control of, is something that I can be much more sure of than a supermarket where how many hands have touched your chicken.

When I put meat in my freezer, I can be 100% sure that it has remained frozen regardless of how long it has been in there. I can not be even close to sure that what went on in the supermarket or the transportation or the other handling of the meat before I buy it.

 

[mozart]

What is the importance of it not being a frost free freezer? Is it because the auto defrost cycle may take it above the safe zone temp?
Just curious because most new fridges are frost free, so if that feature is effecting how long you can keep frozen goods...?

I don't think so. I think he was referring to freezer burn and a quality issue. The very outside might thaw, but it surely wouldn't get above 40 degrees unless something was seriously wrong with that freezer.

However, in a couple of years, it might do that quite a few times and I would guess you might notice some dehydration on the outside.

Frankly, I don't think anyone really purposely holds food that long in a freezer. I eat more chicken than any other meat and it would be long gone before 6 months.

 

[Maverick2272]

Same here, I can't remember the last time I had anything longer than a couple of weeks. At the same time, sometimes whole chickens go on sale buy one get one free at $5 a chicken making it $2.50 a chicken or boneless skinless chicken breasts go on sale from $6 for a 3lb bag to $2. When that happens, it is good to know that with proper packaging I could stock up to the maximum capacity of the freezer to take advantage of the sales.

 

[schoolgirl]

Well, I must say I have never posted a thread anywhere that has gotten this much attention. I can say the chicken has been frozen all this time at the bottom of the freezer and it is not a frost-free so I feel sure it has been frozen all of the time. But I am going to really look at this chick and see if it looks ok and smells ok before I cook it. It looks like I bought a family pack of chicken breast and then split them up in 3 different bags with 3 in a bag(according to what I wrote on the bag). There is just my dh and I so it doesn't take many at a time. Anyway if it looks different I will throw it out to the varmets that come up at night as it will probably be good to them.(I live in the country) Thanks for all of the replies. Faye

 

[GB]

I think that is a good plan Faye. Do let us know the outcome.

 

[Maverick2272]

"chicken talk' has become quite the hot topic here lately, LOL.

 

[mozart]

Q..How do we know that freezing does not kill bacteria?

A. Because if it did, there would be no bacteria in Minnesota.

 

[YT2095]

Hmmm... I`m wondering now, the next time I get a dewar flask of liquid N2, I may just try putting some sealed chicken in it and see what takes place!

although I am somewhat concerned about the Formula involved?

does it work on a sliding scale where a lower temp can be the equiv of Age at a higher frozen temp? like F=ma F can remain constant by altering either M or A accordingly.

is there one for Temp and Time???

 

[GB]

Mozart you get the gold star for this thread

 

[Chopstix]

GB, I can understand why you will confidently eat a chicken that has sat in your own freezer for 10 years and I agree that's most probably safe. (I trust your judgment GB but I'll pass on dinner, LOL. See, there's this part of my brain that won't cooperate. Nothing to do with safety issues in this case too...) I can't even remember what I was doing 10 years ago when this chicken clucked its last cluck