Freezer been switched off / door left open - will food be ok?

crazyguy

As it was only approx 8 hours I think most of it should be ok you should check that things like chicken and fish were not fully defrosted as if they were then would not be a good idea to re-freeeze.

Some house insurance policies have freezer claims on but remember the excess might out weigh any amount you seek to claim and also the premium may well go up if indeed you do make a claim.

moo842

Thank you i will cook up the chicken / fish for the cat and dog, and hopefully the rest will be ok

crazyguy

If you can remember if there was anything else fully defrosted would be best to either cook asap or throw away, things like meat pies and stuff would be ok but frozen deserts may look a mess if they were fully defrosted

natlie

I think everything would be ok, I cant see everything defrosting in 8 hours when its all frozen in there. I put chicken out on the worktop to defrost last week and it took much longer than that to defrost with nothing cold around it.

I think if anything it would be ice cubes and ice lollies - maybe ice cream that would be mushy

Nat

lapis_lazuli

Be careful of shellfish, such as prawns and mussels. The poisons they develop can't be destroyed by cooking.

Ilona

I was away on holiday and my fridge freezer defrosted. I adjusted the setting and switched it back on again, and refroze it. I ate everything in it, but I don't eat meat. I did have some salmon fillets which I ate, but most of it was vegetables and bread. I wasn't sick and didn't die. Some foods might be dodgy as has been mentioned.
Ilona

seabright

I'd still eat everything (solid constitution emoticon!). I'd only think twice about shellfish, but if they still looked frozen, I'd assume they were fine

GlynD

I would just cook up the lot and then refreeze what I can't eat over the weekend. Chicken and fish isn't spoiled just because it's defrosted. The danger comes from refreezing. Cook and then refreeze and you'll be ok in my view.

scheming_gypsy

just kick the door shut and forget it ever happened... but if you're going to feed the chicken to the cat and dog; why are you cooking it? just give it to them raw, bones included.

taurusgb

I always have one ice cube in a plastic bag in each of my freezer drawers. If I am ever worried about whether the temperature inside the freezer has risen too much to keep food safe I check the ice cube. if it is still ice cube shaped then I know everything will be fine. If the bag is just flat with frozen water inside then I know that the freezer got warm enough for the ice cube to melt.