Can you extend the shelf life of meat by cooking it and keeping it in the refrigerator? | To eat
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In the supermarket you can often buy meat packages at a discount because they expire that day. And everyone loses track of meat in the refrigerator sometimes. Can it help to first fry the meat or freeze it to extend the expiration date or not? Food chemist Bruno De Meulenaert explains.
If your meat expires today and you are still looking for ways to extend its shelf life, frying or freezing the meat may seem like a solution. But is that also a good idea? “If you heat meat sufficiently, you will kill bacteria,” explains bioengineer Bruno De Meulenaer. “It is possible that this will keep it tasty a little longer, but meat does become more sensitive to oxidation when you heat it up.”
What is oxidation? “Takes place in every kind of meat”
This oxidation occurs when oxygen in the air reacts with the fats in the meat, which can lead to an unpleasant odor and taste. “Meat contains iron that is bound to the pigment of meat, or the red color. Oxidation occurs in every type of meat, but when heated some of the iron is released, which will quickly increase the sensitivity to oxidation. This will occur after two days in the refrigerator and you will notice a bad smell or taste deviation.”
“If you want to better understand what this oxidation is: for example, if you have a surplus of prepared chicken and you cool that surplus and a few days later take that chicken back out to reheat, you will notice that the taste is less tasty. The process that causes this is oxidation. So it is possible, but I wouldn’t really recommend it.”
What is the impact of this on your health?
An unpleasant smell or taste on your meat is anything but pleasant. Moreover, frying it and keeping it cool can also be harmful to your body. “Occasionally eating meat that has been in the freezer for too long will not immediately cause problems. But when you start doing this regularly, it is really unhealthy.”
In the case of the frozen: “The oxidants in meat are basically poisonous. These substances react with the proteins in your body and will penetrate deep enough into your cells. Then they can even damage your DNA. People who regularly fry and freeze meat are more likely to show signs of aging and develop more age-related ailments. In the worst case, this can even lead to cancer. Your body can process some oxidation, but too much is really too much. My advice is to limit this where possible.”
The oxidation proceeds even faster in the refrigerator, which can lead to more odor and taste abnormalities.
How can you store meat for as long as possible?
According to the expert, frying meat and then storing it in the refrigerator is also not ideal for a longer shelf life. The oxidation proceeds much faster in the refrigerator, which can lead to more odor and taste abnormalities, and the same health problems as when freezing.”
“You can store raw meat from twelve to sixteen months after the expiration date by freezing it. Microbiological development is halted in the freezer, so bacteria cannot grow as they do in the refrigerator. Although meat naturally ages in the freezer, this process is much slower. This means that oxidation develops less quickly, which means that you will taste a less bad taste after months of freezing.”
In both cases, it is crucial to store the meat in the right conditions. “It must be frozen correctly, for example at a temperature of -18 degrees Celsius and properly packaged, such as in a vacuum pack.”
Conclusion: what do you do best?
If you fry nearly expired meat and then store it in the refrigerator, it should be eaten within two days. Within that time you may already notice an unpleasant taste and smell difference. It is best to simply leave the almost expired meat in the freezer. Then the oxidation process slows down, allowing it to be stored for up to sixteen months after the expiration date without significant loss of quality.
Extra storage tip
Bruno De Meulenaer: “There are alternatives that allow you to keep your meat a little longer. A handy trick with minced meat, for example, is to mix it with tomato sauce, for example as the basis of a spaghetti sauce. Tomatoes contain antioxidants that slow down oxidation and a strong flavor that masks the oxidation of the meat, allowing you to keep them in the freezer for several weeks.”
Also read:
From steak to chicken: which type of meat is the healthiest and cheapest? “We eat barely 2 percent less meat than 10 years ago” (+)
Bacon and eggs for breakfast this weekend? Topsager tastes 10 types of bacon from the supermarket and finds one 8/10 (+)
Bacon and eggs for breakfast? Chef tips how to fry meat as crispy as possible: “Thin slices cook faster” (+)
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