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Does Freezing Kill Salmonella?

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One of the worries with eating chicken and other meat is the possibility that salmonella is present.

Unfortunately, there really is no easy way to tell whether the chicken you are about to cook has a salmonella presence, and this might be concerning (especially if you have gone through food poisoning before!)

One way you might want to avoid salmonella spreading in your food is to freeze it.

Does freezing kill salmonella? Freezing can help to kill some bacteria and germs and works to kill parasites, but it does not kill salmonella. Salmonella, and most other bacteria, go into a dormant state when frozen, but will activate again when the food is thawed.

You cannot rely on freezing alone to kill salmonella in your meat, but the more you know about bacteria and preserving your meat, the safer your food preparation will be at home!

Does Freezing Kill Salmonella?

Salmonella is a widespread bacteria that lives in the intestines of animals, and infection is spread when a person eats food or drinks water that has been contaminated with feces containing salmonella.

If you are unfortunate enough to become sick from salmonella, it can be a really unpleasant experience and can turn into a serious illness.

However, sometimes those who are infected with salmonella do not show symptoms at all, and instead, work as a carrier.

If you do become sick from salmonella, you could experience certain symptoms such as stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. This could lead to dehydration.

To rid meat of salmonella, some people try to freeze it, but unfortunately, salmonella can survive freezing.

You are not able to rid meat of salmonella just by freezing, and even if the freezing process works to remove some salmonella, once the meat is thawed, the bacteria will begin to multiply again and the meat will become dangerous to eat.

Do not think that you have rid food of salmonella just by freezing, and you should follow other food preparation methods to ensure the safety of your food.

The Positives of Freezing Meat

While freezing food will not kill salmonella, there are a few other benefits to freezing meat. You can still freeze your meat to make it safer to consume at a later stage!

freezing kill salmonella

These are the positives of freezing meat:

Long Storage

The obvious benefit of freezing meat is that you can keep it fresher for longer. Freezing meat allows you to store it for months, rather than a few days in the fridge.

It is safer to store meat in the freezer if you are not going to cook and eat it straight away, as freezing the meat stops bacteria growth, keeping it in a better condition for longer.

The freezing process will not kill bacteria, but at least prevent it from multiplying more, preserving the meat.

Parasites

If meat is frozen properly, under -4°F, then any parasites or eggs that the meat contains will be killed. The meat should also be frozen for at least 7 days.

It is important to take note of the temperature of your freezer, as some freezers do not reach low enough of a temperature. However, thoroughly cooking food will kill off parasites.

Does Cooking Meat Kill Salmonella?

Cooking food does kill salmonella. Food needs to be cooked to a temperature between 145-165°F in order for salmonella to be killed off.

However, if your food has been left out for a long period or there has been a recall on the food because of salmonella contamination, you should not rely on cooking to kill the salmonella.

Sometimes the food is too contaminated to actually be saved by cooking.

Food also needs to be cooked thoroughly to be rid of salmonella, and undercooked food can still be at risk for containing salmonella and making you sick.

Which Foods Can Contain Salmonella?

There are a few different types of food that might contain salmonella, and it is not limited to meat alone. Chicken is often the main culprit of carrying salmonella and is the food people think of first when salmonella is mentioned.

inspecting meat

Knowing the different foods that contain salmonella can help you prepare food safer in the kitchen.

These are the foods that are most likely to carry salmonella:

  • Raw meat
  • Raw poultry
  • Undercooked meat
  • Undercooked poultry
  • Raw eggs
  • Undercooked eggs

This list is fairly small, but it is also a good idea to remember any meals or foods that might contain some of these ingredients.

This includes cookie dough too, which contains raw eggs. Many people like to enjoy a spoonful or two of cookie dough before it is cooked, but this can be dangerous!

Vegetables and fruits, as well as processed items such as nuts or even pet food, can also contain salmonella, and in some situations, you can become sick from these foods, but it is not as common as raw or undercooked meat or eggs.

Tips to Prevent Salmonella Infection at Home

There are some tips and procedures to follow at home to help prevent salmonella infections or to lessen the chance of bacteria spreading.

Wash Your Hands

Salmonella is spread through feces, so it is so important to wash your hands after using the restroom, after coming into contact with pets and other animals, and after handling raw food items

Just this simple practice can help prevent the spread of salmonella between different sources.

Cook Your Food

The best way to kill off salmonella and other bacteria is to cook food properly. Food should be cooked to a temperature range between 145-165°F, which will kill off salmonella.

Avoid storing food, or cooking food, in the danger zone, which is between 40-140°F. This temperature range is where bacteria thrive and where they can spread and make food dangerous to eat.

Maintain Food Hygiene 

Maintaining proper food hygiene in the kitchen is another way to prevent salmonella from spreading in your home and in your food.

Other than washing your hands often, make sure to wash cutting boards and any knives and utensils that might come into contact with raw meat and raw eggs, and any other foods that might be contaminated.

It is a good idea to keep a separate chopping board for raw meat and fruit and vegetables, just to lessen the chance of cross-contamination. I recommend buying this chopping board set from Amazon, it is super convenient!

Keep Raw Meat Separate

After doing a grocery shop, keep raw meat stored separately from other food items. They can all be stored in the fridge together, but make sure to keep them stored on separate shelves.

It’s a good idea to keep it on shelves stored lower in the fridge.

Don’t Leave Food Out Too Long

You should not leave meat or other foods that are at risk of salmonella infection out at room temperature for longer than 2 hours. After 2 hours, the bacteria can multiply quickly and the risk of foodborne illnesses grows.

Bacteria grow faster in warmer environments, which is why the danger zone is between 40-140°F. If you have left the chicken out and it has been 2 hours, cook it rather than freeze it.

If the chicken or meat has been left out for longer than 2 hours, then it is safer to discard it.

Can Cooked Chicken Contain Salmonella?

If you have cooked chicken thoroughly and it was cooked to the recommended temperature to kill salmonella, then it should not contain it anymore.

However, if you leave cooked chicken out on the counter for too long, there is a chance that it can become contaminated again.

cooked chicken

There is also the chance that the chicken can come into contact with salmonella bacteria again if there is cross-contamination with raw meat or eggs.

For this reason, you should not leave cooked food out on the counter for too long, and you should follow proper hygiene in the kitchen to reduce the chances of cross-contamination.

Related Questions

Now that we’ve gone over how freezing affects salmonella, let’s take a look at a few related questions on the subject!

What Temperature Kills Salmonella in Eggs?

Eggs should be cooked to 160°F to be safe to eat . This temperature should kill off salmonella, and when cooked to this point, the eggs should not be runny and should be cooked well.

Can Cooking Kill Listeria?

Cooking food to 165°F can kill off listeria. You do have to be really careful with this and use a food thermometer (we’d recommend this one) to take the internal temperature of the food.

Can Listeria Grow in Cooked Foods?

Listeria can grow at temperatures within the fridge and can multiply quickly at this temperature.

Listeria is commonly found in ready-to-eat processed meats, but if cooked properly and heated thoroughly, the risk is reduced.

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