Science of Freezer Burn and How To Prevent It

Have you ever gone into your freezer only to be greeted with all of your food covered with crystals. Well, this is freezer burn! Keep reading to find out the science of freezer burn and how to prevent it.

What Causes Freezer Burn?

By definition, freezer burn is a “condition of discoloration or other damage caused to frozen food by evaporation, typically due to inadeqate packaging or storage conditions in the freezer.” When a food is in a freezer for a long time, the moisture inside of the food becomes ice crystals. Those crystals migrate to the surface of the food through sublimation. The loss of water molecules in the food causes the food to become dry and tough. Dehydration can also be caused by improper packaging.

How Can I Prevent Freezer Burn?

First of all, make sure that you are regularly checking how long you are keeping your foods in the freezer. Check the packaging on your foods before you put it inside of the freezer. For extra protection, you can eve wrap your foods again. You want no moisture to escape from the food. If you have freezer burn, you can still consume the food. The freezer burn draws out moisture and flavor but it is still safe to eat.

cites

Schmidt, Shelly J., and Joo Won Lee. "How does the freezer burn our food?." Journal of Food Science Education 8.2 (2009): 45-52.

Xu, Jun-Li, and Da-Wen Sun. "Identification of freezer burn on frozen salmon surface using hyperspectral imaging and computer vision combined with machine learning algorithm." International Journal of Refrigeration 74 (2017): 151-164.

Kölzer, Beate, et al. "An Approach to Accelerated Measurement of Dehydration (Freezer Burn) in Beef Patties in Household Freezers."