Health Risks of Refreezing Defrosted Products: Clear and Understandable Labeling Needed

The CTRC of Burgundy, and its partner the Union des CTRCE de Nouvelle-Aquitaine, consider that the current labeling on packaging does not always provide clear and understandable information on the risks associated with refreezing.

A health issue Food plays a central role in our lives, so food safety is a major concern. However, precautions for refreezing defrosted products are often ignored by consumers. These precautions, which are largely unknown, can cause health risks. The CTRC of Burgundy, and its partner the Union des CTRCE in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, therefore set out for their investigation presented below.
Large supermarkets and food suppliers are sometimes faced with logistical requirements which require them to freeze and then defrost certain products before marketing them. This practice is common, but the following is often overlooked: These products are purchased by consumers who are frequently unaware of the rules for freezing and the freezing and thawing history of the food item.

Refreezing defrosted products can cause multiple health hazards. The formation of ice crystals during refreezing can alter the texture, flavor and nutritional quality of foods. Even more serious, it can promote the proliferation of potentially dangerous bacteria, thus endangering the health of consumers Objective of the investigation The CTRC of Burgundy, and its partner the Union des CTRCE de Nouvelle-Aquitaine, judge that current labeling on packaging do not always provide clear and understandable information on the risks associated with refreezing. This gap creates a real challenge for consumers wanting to make informed decisions about the safety of their food purchases.

A general problem

The survey focuses not on consumers’ knowledge of health rules, but on a specific field: consumer information legislation in force on products sold defrosted, the estimation of the effectiveness of this legislation and the evaluation of another version of this display. Currently, the only statement “defrosted product, do not refreeze” warns consumers of a risk. This is often in small print, on the back of the packaging, next to the barcode among the other legal notices.

Working angle

Consumer associations are concerned about consumer behavior regarding thawed products that should not be refrozen. These behaviors can be considered double-edged: even if a consumer knows how to control their freezing, they may forget the freezing that potentially occurs before their purchase.

Survey result

The CTRC of Burgundy, and its partner the Union des CTRCE en Nouvelle-Aquitaine, come together with the aim of determining whether the problem identified is part of the reality of consumers, and propose avenues for an evolution of the legislation in favor of consumer information without added obstacles.

Communiqué