Should cooked food be frozen?

I have a habit of freezing cooked food, both to save money and for convenience later. Is this harmful to my health? (Hang, 35 years old, Hanoi )

Reply:

Freezing slows down spoilage and keeps food safe by preventing microbial growth. For busy people, freezing prepared foods is a practical and time-saving way to prepare diverse, delicious, and nutritious meals.

Most processed foods can be frozen in the refrigerator, including meat, fish, and vegetables. Processed food should be refrigerated no more than two hours after cooking, or one hour if exposed to outside temperatures above 32 degrees Celsius.

Freezing times vary depending on the type of food. For example, the freezing times for some processed foods are as follows:

Processed pork: 2-3 months

Poultry meat: 4 months

Fish: 2-4 months

Soups and stews: 2-3 months.

To properly freeze food and keep it fresh without spoiling, remember that the freezer compartment is usually set at -18°C or lower. Wrap food tightly, and avoid placing hot food in the freezer as this increases the temperature, negatively affecting surrounding foods. Wait until food has completely cooled before placing it in the freezer.

Divide frozen food into smaller portions to make thawing easier and to take out only the amount needed when using it.

Do not store raw food next to cooked food to avoid cross-contamination. Thawed food should be consumed completely and not refrozen to prevent food poisoning.

Doctor Ho Mai Huong
Vietnam Institute of Applied Medicine

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