Is it safe to refreeze frozen food again?!

[KnittingForMittens]

Posting here for traffic.

So my toddler decided to turn off the freezer switch that he miraculously reached and found behind the sofa (we are in an open plan living room!) I have only just realised because I went to get some dessert out. We got home about 5PM so I think it has been like that for about an hour?

It was all half frozen in the freezer. I've turned it up to max and hope it freezes again quickly. Do you think the meats (mince, chicken drumsticks and frozen chicken breasts, and also turkey and turkey drummers) will they all be OK or should I throw them away? Got other bits as well like Yorkshire puddings, dessert, chips, etc.

£30 worth of meat

If it gas been off only for an hour there is absolutely no issue as there is no way it would defrost even partially unless the door were open.

I know you're not supposed to thaw and refreeze meats. But I doubt it will have defrosted in 1 hour - most freezers are well insulated.

In that situation, yes, they should be fine. Make sure you defrost properly and cook them thoroughly, though. I would try to do that quite soon, so you don't forget which things it is.

I'm hoping so! I've got prawns, salmon and fish fillets in there as well! Will it all still be OK? I'm probably being daft but I don't want to get food poison for myself or my family lol.

It should keep temperature off for 24+ hours

Freezers are insulated to last for about 12 hours without power are they not?

An hour will be fine.

An hour is nothing especially with the door shut. Are you sure it wasnt longer if stuff had started to defrost?

My freezer was once off overnight due to the power going off and it was ALL still frozen in the morning. I can't see how it would have been 'half-frozen' in the past two hours, so on that basis I'd say you'll be fine refreezing - freezers are really well insulated.

I'm probably being paranoid! It wasn't all completely melted. There is not even liquid on the floor so as you can tell, I am being daft.

It's quite an old freezer. I suppose newer ones are much better quality and more insulated than older ones.

I am confused whether the food actually defrosted or not tbh

It's fine no need to worry

If it was all half defrosted then it’s been off a good while longer than an hour! If it was half de-frosted, no I wouldn’t re-freeze.

If it's a plug get one of these.

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Clippasafe-Double-Socket-Protector-Electric-Plug-Cover-Baby-Child-Safety-Box-/401123256368

Unless it's from 1658 the stuff in freezer should not start defrosting within an hour.
Keep na eye on it to see if it was toddler or it's broken and it was a coincidence.

As others have said, if it was only an hour then most things won't have defrosted, but I'd be checking the state of stuff.
Bread/cake/veg will be fine but, personally, I would completely defrost and cook any meat products that have started to thaw before refreezing.

*unless the freezer is from 1658

am confused whether the food actually defrosted or not tbh

Me too.

The length of time really doesn’t matter op - but only you know the state of the food and you said it was ‘half frozen’.

Based on that, no you shouldn’t re-freeze it.

Feel everything. If it started going soft in places you will have to defrost it but no reason you can't cook it and then refreeze once it's cooled. No need to bin it.

Yes if it was half mushy and fish ( shellfish especially ) I wouldn't refreeze. Veg etc be fine but not fish 🤮

I'm fairly sure that most freezers are built to withstand a few hours of being turned off as long as the door remains closed. If it's a fancy freezer it can be around 24 hours. I would check your model of freezer to put your mind at rest.

Frozen stuff stays completely frozen in my camping cool box for a 3 hour drive in summer. One hour switched off will be fine

It's not the fact that it was switched off for an hour; it's the description of it being "half-frozen" ie significantly thawed out, and more importantly, fish.
That conjures up an image of being sick with food poisoning. It's a no from me.

Right I have thrown away fish products bar one, which is a salmon wellington and it cost me a fortune so I've put that in the oven now and will have to save it and have it tomorrow as I've already eaten dinner.

I turned both the fridge freezer and chest freezer off recently and didn't notice for 24 hours. The bottom 2 drawers in the fridge freezer were still frozen (top was toast) and the chest freezer was visibly defrosting when I lifted the lid. The only things that defrosted was the bread.

I really doubt there would be any damage after an hour.