So sadly, my fridge got icy buildup and I had to defrost it overnight. The freezer food is in coolers, and the fridge food is in the freezer compartment with ice. I'll be checking everything before I put it back in.
What is the safest course of action re. the frozen food? If it's still partially frozen, is it ok? Should I just toss any seafood related products that are not completely frozen still?
Thanks for your input!
My motto in this kindof situation is this:
"When in doubt, throw it out."
personally I would toss seafood or poltry. And just inspect everything else.
If the food that was in the freezer is still as cool as it would be if it was in the frigerator, then I'd refreeze it. When you thaw it out to use it if it spoiled, it will smell that way. I would use the seafood first and check it well. The poultry will be ok more than likely.
We had a power outage for a week in January when I kived in Arkansas. I had one freezer where the food thawed. I started my BBQ smoker and smoked the meat. BTW, you may know, smoking meat is a way to preserve it. Before refrigeration, salting and smoking were the two most common ways to preserve meat. I lost 10 to 15 pounds of meat. The rest I smoked before it spoiled. When the electricity came back on I refroze the smoked meat.
Good luck to you and yours.
