It is reported that Russia has recently announced a complete ban on the sale of deep-frozen chicken starting next year. After seeing this news, many citizens have questioned whether frozen meat is harmful to health. Experts point out that improper selection of frozen meat can indeed be harmful to health.
Reporters found in interviews at the frozen meat product counters in major supermarkets and vegetable markets in Nanjing that due to the price of frozen meat being 3 to 4 yuan cheaper per kilogram than fresh meat, many citizens are purchasing frozen meat. However, many consumers cannot tell the quality of the frozen meat.
It is understood that generally, good quality frozen meat has a light gray color for the lean parts, while the fat and grease are white. It has no strange smell, and when pressed with a finger, it will show red spots. When thawed, it will secrete a light red liquid. If the color of the frozen meat is inconsistent in different parts, the color does not change after being pressed with a finger, and the meat is soft and lacks elasticity after thawing, it indicates poor quality or meat that has been thawed multiple times. Director Ju Juan, head of the internal medicine department at the Nanjing Hospital of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, explained that from a hygiene perspective, some bacteria in frozen meat have died under long-term ultra-low temperature conditions, but this does not mean it is completely hygienic. For example, repeated freezing can cause it to spoil. Because the cell membrane is severely damaged when transitioning from the low-temperature frozen state to the thawed state above the freezing point, if it is frozen again, it actually no longer serves a preservative effect. The longer the freezing time and the more times it is frozen, the more unhealthy substances it breeds. Repeated thawing and freezing of frozen meat destroys its nutritional value, causing the most nutritious substances in the meat, such as cytoplasmic fluid, to be lost along with the water. However, as long as it is thawed and eaten correctly, the nutritional value of frozen meat is no lower than that of fresh meat.
Experts remind that the average home refrigerator cannot achieve the freezing temperature and effect of a cold storage, so frozen meat will slowly spoil if left in the refrigerator for a long time. Therefore, it is recommended to finish the frozen meat bought at home within one week.