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    Question Lads

    I have a deal with a lady in the village who as a very big allotment at the start of the new season any fruit left in the freezer I get and she gets some wine.
    But this year the fruit got defrosted and refroze again and still frozen, did I still want it ?

    I said sorry I don’t think I could use it, what would you have said ?

  • #2
    I reckon if it hadn't gone off when it was re-frozen and is still OK when you re-thaw it I would have considered using it, particularly for winemaking. That said, if I had any doubts about the quality I would have chucked it.
    I know we live in fear of re-freezing things but I suspect that is partly about what the food looks like. After all freezing will only inhibit microbial activity and once you thaw it will increase in speed again, decrease once you re-freeze etc but the freeze/thaw action does impact the structure of the food.
    Simon
    "I can certainly see that you know your wine. Most of the guests who stay here wouldn't know the difference between Bordeaux and Claret." - Basil Fawlty

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    • #3
      *** Orange box alert ***

      Refreezing is NOT an issue.
      The problem MAY be how long it remained thawed (ie Less than one day in chilled temperature AOK - greater than five days at room temperature -it will be mouldy)

      So the first thing is smell it, & look at it.

      There are two types of freezing.....

      1. FAST or BLAST freezing products to keep them firm after thawing. These freeze almost instantly, and allow no time for the ice crystals form.

      2. SLOW or HOME freezing , which will make things soggy (think strawberries) when they thaw out. This is because the ice crystals form like small knives (think snowflakes) and cut the fruit up inside - This type of freezing also ruptures cell membranes of the fruit.

      Refreezing is not a problem. It was a myth started by frozen food companies (think peas) who blast freeze their product. If kept frozen the product came out of the bag perfectly. If thawed and then frozen again at home this time, slow frozen - the product came out mushy......... and they got loads of phone calls and complaints.

      The myth stopped the phone calls, but it also stopped consumers getting the best out of their freezers, because everybody now thinks to refreeze something is completely toxic. And that is not the case.

      It is also worth noting that winemaking is a sterilising process (hence why many years ago, people drank beer because it was safer than water) , so making wine from slow frozen fruit has two benefits.
      a) Many problems are cleaned up by the yeast
      b) Slow freezing actually helps break the fruit up which allows the yeast to get 'in' easier. Ferments are often quicker and cleaner from frozen fruit. However, allow extra time for colour extraction, continual work on this.


      The best cider/apple wine I have ever made was made by falling and refreezing the apples three times before pressing the whole. The juice comes out perfectly clear. Gently sulphited it can be refrozen in plastic bags - Made into a smashing white wine with late addition elderflowers (Thanks BOB for that one). And it is a darn sight easier to bung them in the freezer than it is to crush/grind/scrat them. PS do not attempt to press frozen apples - I have they just seem to get harder!

      PPS I seriously abuse freezing & Refreezing with all sorts of things and have had no issues. Common sense prevails smell it and look at it.


      Sorry chaps got a bit carried away there... but this is subject I have studied quite a bit.
      Gluten free, caffeine free, dairy free, fat free – you gotta love this red wine diet!

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      • #4
        Thanks for you input chaps

        I know we live in fear of re-freezing things food, or stuff for wine making, The first thing that came into my head was no thank you and the fruit was dumped, it was not until afterwards that I began to wonder, should have asked you lot first.

        The lady uses a chest freezer; we don’t know how long it had been off or how soft they were.

        Old-un

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        • #5
          I have spoken to the lady and the freezer as off 24 hours the lid not opened

          Old-un

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          • #6
            I would ferment or even eat it - subject to smell/taste testing.
            Last edited by Cellar_Rat; 07-07-2015, 08:15 AM.
            Gluten free, caffeine free, dairy free, fat free – you gotta love this red wine diet!

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            • #7
              Thanks Cellar Rat

              Old-un

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              • #8
                Gotta concur with Brian here. It'd be particularly relevant because if the freezer went off for 24 hours, it's unlikely to have hardly defrosted at all. The insulation not only keeps the cold in but is pretty good at keeping the warms out.......
                Women will never be equal to men until they can walk down the street with a bald head and a beer gut, and still think they are sexy.

                Some blog ramblings

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                • #9
                  Thanks Fat Bloke

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