Can you refreeze frozen dog food? Surprising Answer

Can you refreeze frozen dog food?

If the food has partially defrosted by the time you are ready to put it in the freezer, you can refreeze it safely as long as the food is still at 4c or below. If it has reached room temperature it will keep fresh in a fridge for 2-3 days or 4 days from frozen.

Why It’s Important To Keep Raw Dog Food Frozen

Freezing raw dog food mitigates the risk of pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli reproducing in the meat, causing food-borne diseases.

Dogs can get sick when they ingest contaminated raw meat, just like humans do. Learning how to manage raw dog food responsibly will decrease the risk of cross-contamination in your household.

The rule of thumb is to handle your pet’s raw food the same way you would if it was for human consumption.

Although cooking and pasteurization are the traditional methods used to kill bacteria, raw dog food should not be heated. Cooking will cause raw food to lose some nutritional value, so instead, pet owners and food manufacturers use freezing methods.

How to Safely Refreeze Raw Dog Food

Now that you know what goes into preserving raw meats, let’s look at the precautions needed when refreezing food for your dog.

Usually, pet owners refreeze raw dog food when portioning daily meals for furry pals. To do this effectively, try these tips:

Make sure that the raw food stays frozen from the purchasing stage until you reach your refrigerator. A little bit of defrosting on the way is acceptable, but the food must be maintained in a frozen state.

According to USDA guidelines, raw perishables must be allowed to thaw out in the refrigerator if you plan on refreezing without cooking. You can defrost the meat by letting it sit on the lower shelf of your refrigerator before cutting it with a sharp utensil.

Avoid thawing food at room temperature, such as on the kitchen table, if you don’t plan on using it the same day. Raw meat starts to defrost from the outside in, so you risk having bacteria grow on the outer edges of the meat while the core is still fully frozen.

Plan your dog’s daily meal prep properly. To prevent food waste, section your dog’s food into the correct meal size before refreezing.

Use secure packaging to store dog food that you have portioned yourself. As much as possible, use airtight containers or resealable plastic bags to prevent oxidation and leaking.

Using this feeding calculator by Tail Blazers, you can work out your dog’s daily feeding portion.

Perfectly Rawrsome has designed a comprehensive calculator that tells you your dog’s daily portion size if you prefer homemade raw dog food. It also calculates the weight of the food groups you need to include in the diet.