Ice cream is one of the tastiest treats. There is nothing better than grabbing a tub of ice cream to eat while relaxing on the sofa and watching your favorite movie. Eating ice cream on a warm day is just as great. It makes for a delicious, refreshing dessert.
The biggest downside to ice-cream is when it melts. There is nothing more disappointing than discovering the icecream you were looking forward to eating has turned into a creamy puddle.
We have all been there at some point, and perhaps the thought of refreezing it has come to mind. After all, drinks can be placed back in the refrigerator, so can ice cream that has been melted be refrozen and then eaten safely?
In this article, we will be looking into this question further. We will be discussing whether or not it is safe to eat ice cream that has melted and refrozen. We will also be talking about the reasons behind this.
Can you Eat Ice Cream That Has Been Melted And Refrozen?
The temptation to refreeze melted ice cream is high. We have all experienced the disappointment of accidentally forgetting to put the tub back in the freezer, on to find that it has become a watery mess.
While you may assume that it would be safe to refreeze, you may be shocked to realize that eating refrozen ice cream after it has melted is quite dangerous. Given this, you should never eat ice cream that has been melted and refrozen.
Why Is Ice Cream That Has Been Melted And Refrozen Dangerous?
Melted and refrozen ice cream is dangerous because it can easily cause food poisoning.
Food poisoning is commonly linked to raw or partly cooked meats. We are all aware of the dangers of eating bad or uncooked chicken, for example.
However, food poisoning is not limited to meat. Many other foods can cause severe food poisoning, such as rice that has not been correctly reheated, and ice cream.
While you may be able to detect if food is uncooked or does not taste right, did you know that food poisoning often goes undetected at first because it cannot be tasted?
You may be eating food that will cause you to suffer from food poisoning without necessarily realizing it. This tends to happen with food that has not been reheated correctly.
What Are The Symptoms Of Food Poisoning?
If you have ever suffered from food poisoning, it is unlikely that you will forget how it made you feel. Food poisoning is not pleasant and can cause several different side effects.
Here are some of the symptoms you may experience:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Stomach cramps
- Nausea
- High Temperature
- Tiredness
- Aching
It is worth noting that the severity of these symptoms can vary significantly between people and also depends on the bout of food poisoning you are experiencing. You may only experience some of these symptoms, rather than them all.
What Causes Food Poisoning In Melted And Refrozen Ice Cream?
You may be wondering what exactly causes melted and refrozen ice cream to become unsafe to eat. The food safety issue is caused by bacteria.
When the ice cream has been left on the counter to melt its entire structure changes. Once the cells in the ice cream have changed, they cannot form ice cream in the same way again. This is because the cell walls break down when the ice cream melts.
Even if it were safe to eat refrozen ice cream, it would not taste the same as it did previously.
The longer the ice cream has been left to melt, the more likely bacteria are to grow and spread through the ice cream. The bacteria that cause food poisoning from ice cream is often listeria. Listeria can be very hazardous and cause you to become extremely sick.
After only a few hours this bacteria can multiply to dangerous levels. If you then consume the infected ice cream you are likely to suffer from a bad bout of food poisoning.
When Should I Throw My Ice Cream Away?
It can be difficult to know how melted the ice cream should be before you throw it away instead of refreezing it. For example, if you are eating a tub of ice cream while watching a movie, even after around ten minutes, you will likely see the ice cream start to melt.
Due to the nature of ice cream, unless it is kept frozen, it is very difficult to stop it from melting when it is brought about to freezing temperatures.
Given this, you should try to only serve as much as ice cream that will be eaten instead of taking the whole tub out of the freezer. This is the safest method.
However, if the ice cream has only been left out of the freezer for a very short period, and the majority of it is still formed it should be okay to pop back into the freezer. Problems arise when the ice cream has nearly thawed or has thawed completely.
If you have any doubts over whether or not you should eat the ice cream, or if you should refreeze it, we would recommend throwing it away. It is always better to air on the side of caution when it comes to foods that can potentially cause food poisoning.
Summary
Unfortunately, ice cream that has melted and refrozen is not safe to eat. If you consume this ice cream you will likely suffer from a bad bout of food poisoning. In addition to this, once icecream has thawed completely it does not freeze in the same way and the texture changes completely.
We would always recommend taking the ice cream out of the freezer for very short periods. This will help to prevent any melting from occurring. If you notice that your ice cream has melted quite significantly, it is best to throw it away rather than attempting to refreeze it.