A doctor has revealed when to know if frozen food is expired and how long it actually stays in the freezer before it’s no longer good to eat.

Of course, you can always check the label for expiration dates and all that jazz, but when you freeze foodthat’s another story.

And the last thing you want is to have a cloudy stomach after eating foods that aren’t safe to eat.

Freezing food is a great way to avoid waste, but how long should you actually keep it cold? (Getty Image Bank)

So, listen to the advice of an expert, aka Dr. Karan Raj, who regularly offers health advice on TikTok under the nickname @dr.karanr, it’s certainly a good idea.

In a recent TikTok video, Dr. Raj revealed, “Technically, frozen foods never expire. When it comes to frozen foods, these best before and best before dates are more about food quality than food safety.

“So as long as the food stays frozen, it’s safe. But that doesn’t mean frozen food stays tasty forever. The longer a food stays frozen, the more it can be affected by what’s called freezer burn. freezing.

“It is covered in ice crystals, moisture is sucked out, and oxidation occurs, so food frozen for a long time may lack flavor.”

The doctor noted that the texture of foods can “degrade” and the nutritional value of many of these foods can decrease.

Many flocked to TikTok’s comments section with their own frozen food eating stories.

“Last year I ate frozen chicken from 2018… Not recommended,” one person wrote while a second added: “It’s crazy people don’t know about this .”

A third pointed out: “That’s not true lol. Everything, even frozen, has an expiration date. You can’t refrigerate meat for more than three months.”

While a fourth joked: “That would mean the meat won’t go bad either, but it doesn’t taste and look good after a while.”

The Real Shelf Life of Frozen Foods Revealed (Getty Stock Image)

The government website Foodsafety.gov confirms these claims, stating: “Freezer storage guidelines are only about quality: frozen foods stored continuously at or below 0°F (-18°C) can be stored indefinitely. »

Most foods are generally fine to put in the freezer, but you should always check the packaging to make sure your favorite picky bits are safe to freeze.

As with any food, it is important to follow the directions on the packaging to ensure that all health and safety requirements are met.

Following this should mean that you will be able to enjoy many frozen foods.