Safety of Frozen Canned Goods

If only a small amount of canned food has frozen, keep the food frozen in your freezer, and use it within a couple of weeks.

Some of your commercially canned goods may have frozen during the severe cold weather of winter. To make sure that these frozen canned goods are safe to eat, follow these safety rules:

When below freezing temperatures are forecast

Check canned goods often if they are stored in areas where they might freeze. If you can, move them to warmer areas so they won't freeze. Freezing may cause cracks to develop in cans as the frozen food expands. As the food thaws, bacteria can enter the cracks and cause the food to spoil in warmer temperatures.

Frozen jellies and pickles can be kept in the refrigerator and used for a longer period of time than can frozen fruits and vegetables.

For a moderate amount of frozen canned goods, transfer them to your freezer and use within two to three months.

If you don't have enough freezer space to store all of your frozen canned goods, put them in a storage area where the temperature is about 40° to 50° Fahrenheit to allow them to thaw completely.

Don't use these foods for one week.

After one week, check cans and jars for signs of spoilage. Signs of spoilage include breaks in seals or seams, bulging cans, and streaks or particles of food on the outside of the containers. If you see any of these signs, throw away the items.

An alternative

As soon as foods thaw, open the can or jar and refreeze the contents in appropriate containers or re-can the foods, using appropriate home canning equipment and procedures. When you are re-canning, be sure to follow directions provided in reliable references. Don't re-can commercially canned soups. These products require longer heat sterilization times than those given in home canning references.

For more information on safety of frozen canned goods, contact your local county Extension office.