Frozen Food Stays Safe to Eat Indefinitely

That forgotten package at the back of the freezer may not taste good, but age alone has not made it dangerous. The Food Safety and Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture states that food stored constantly at 0 degrees Fahrenheit will always be safe. Only the quality suffers with lengthy freezer storage. Freezing does not sterilize food, though. According to the agency, freezing to 0 degrees inactivates any microbes present in food, including bacteria, yeasts and molds. It does not destroy them. Once thawed, these microbes can again become active, multiplying under the right conditions to levels that can lead to foodborne illness. So thawed food needs the same care as fresh food. One piece of good news: the agency says the freezing process itself does not destroy nutrients.