Freezer burn

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Freezer burn is a condition that occurs when frozen food has dried out due to poor packaging.

1 Effects
2 Prevention
3 Usage note
4 See also
5 References

[edit] Effects

Freezer burn often results in change of texture and discoloration of the affected food. It appears as grayish to brown leathery spots on the food, resulting from chemical changes in the food's pigment.

Although freezer burn affects the quality of food, it does not make the food unsafe or unhealthy to eat. It produces dry spots, which can be cut away either before or after cooking. Heavily freezer-burned foods may lose their flavor entirely.

[edit] Prevention

Freezer burn occurs when air reaches the food's surface and dries out the product. This can happen especially when food is not securely wrapped in air-tight packaging. Therefore, the best way of avoiding it when freezing food in plastic bags is to push all the air out before sealing.

Another way of avoiding freezer burn is to avoid circulating outside air into the freezer. Exposure to relatively warm air can cause temperature fluctuations, which can in turn cause freezer burn.

If the freezer has a temperature setting, it is best to set the freezer to the lowest temperature, slowing the ability of the water molecules inside the food from working to the surface and drying out the food.

[edit] Usage note

Sometimes a severe case of frostbite is also called freezer burn. When skin comes into contact with extremely cold substances like liquid nitrogen or dry ice, the resulting instant frostbite has a sensation akin to burning, but is actually water in skin freezing. The sharp-edged ice crystals in freezing water shred cell membranes as they form, causing tissue damage and pain.