Is it safe to refreeze thawed meat?

Food safety guidelines generally advise against refreezing thawed meat if it has been exposed to “danger zone” temperatures between 4°C and 60°C because harmful bacteria could multiply rapidly in this range. The usual assumption is that meat stored within this temperature range is intended to be consumed within 2 to 4 hours.

However, in theory, if the meat hasn’t been exposed to these temperatures for a prolonged period, it could be thawed and refrozen multiple times. The key is to use the timeline as a guide to determine whether the meat is considered “unsafe” to refreeze.

For instance, if you take the meat from your home freezer out to separate the portions and refreeze it immediately while the meat is still in a frozen state, it’s generally safe to refreeze. But if you’ve taken the meat out of your home freezer, allowed it to thaw in preparation for cooking (which would expose it to “danger zone” temperatures), and left it for 2 to 4 hours, it’s typically considered unsafe to refreeze.

This is akin to re-icing a melted ice kacang – once it has fully melted and sat in the sun, you would not want to freeze it again as it has probably lost its taste and freshness and might contain environmental bacteria.

For more information, you can refer to these resources:

Remember, it’s always better to err on the side of caution regarding food safety. Use your judgment on how long and under what conditions the meat has been thawed before refreezing it. And when in doubt, it’s best not to risk it—just like we Singaporeans wouldn’t risk eating durian that’s been left out in the sun for too long!