Is It Safe To Eat 2-Year-Old Frozen Fruit?

The freezer is the mother of all inventions when it comes to storing food. You'd think that anything edible that has been frozen should be able to last indefinitely, given that colder temperatures will keep foods from deteriorating more quickly. However, just because frozen food might last forever doesn't mean it should be eaten.

While freezing is a good way to keep your favorite nutrient-rich fruits available long-term, they must be properly stored in order to avoid freezer burn, which could impact both flavor and texture. Kitchn recommends vacuum sealing produce before freezing to make sure all exposure to air is eliminated. It's also important to label when you freeze your fruits so you can have a better understanding of when they expire.

But although frost can be avoided in an attempt to prevent frozen fruit from spoiling, pathogens are still a risk. Contrary to the popular belief that bacteria can't survive in freezing temperatures, that isn't the case. Bacteria can still survive and grow, just at slower rates (via The Washington Post).

Whether or not two-year-old frozen fruit is edible depends on several factors like whether or not the fruit was properly stored, if it has ever been thawed, or if it has been affected by frostbite. Likewise, some frozen fruits tend to keep better than others.

The US Department of Health recommends consuming frozen fruits like berries and melons within 10 to 18 months of purchase. Meanwhile, fruits like bananas should be consumed within 2-3 months, apples within 8 months, and kiwi shouldn't even be frozen. Bon Appétit shares that you don't even need to thaw fruit to use to top yogurt or toss in smoothies, cake batters, and even cobblers.

If you notice any ice crystals on your frozen fruit — or if a bag of strawberries in the back of your fridge is one icy block — you might want to think twice before digging in, since the produce may have partially defrosted before being frozen again (via Today).

The bottom line is, that if you store fruit properly it can be safe to eat but it probably won't taste quite the same, nor will it have the same texture. To be safe, consume frozen fruits within the recommended timeframe.