Can you refreeze thawed breast milk?

Can You Refreeze Thawed Breast Milk?
The question of whether thawed breast milk can be refrozen is a common concern among breastfeeding parents. The short answer is no, it is generally not recommended to refreeze breast milk once it has been thawed. This guideline is rooted in both safety and nutritional integrity.
Nutritional Concerns
When breast milk is frozen, the process preserves its valuable nutrients and antibodies that are crucial for an infant’s development. However, once breast milk is thawed, it undergoes changes that can compromise its quality. The thawing process can lead to the breakdown of proteins and other beneficial components in the milk. According to experts, repeated freezing and thawing cycles can further damage these proteins, diminishing the milk’s nutritional value and potentially affecting its safety for consumption.
Safety Guidelines
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that thawed breast milk should be used within 24 hours if stored in the refrigerator. After this period, any leftover milk should be discarded. This recommendation is based on the risk of bacterial growth that can occur when milk is thawed and then left at temperatures that allow for microbial proliferation. Refreezing thawed milk could increase this risk, as the milk may not have been kept at safe temperatures throughout the thawing process.
Exceptions and Best Practices
While the general consensus is against refreezing thawed breast milk, there are specific conditions under which it might be acceptable. If the breast milk has only partially thawed and still contains ice crystals, it may be safe to refreeze it. However, this situation is rare and requires careful monitoring of the milk’s state.
To minimize waste and ensure safety, parents are encouraged to thaw breast milk in smaller portions. This way, any unused milk can be discarded without significant loss. Additionally, once breast milk has been warmed to room temperature, it should be used within a few hours to prevent spoilage.
Conclusion
In summary, while the idea of refreezing thawed breast milk may seem convenient, it poses risks to both the nutritional quality and safety of the milk. Parents should adhere to established guidelines to ensure that their infants receive the best possible nutrition without compromising safety. By understanding the proper handling and storage of breast milk, caregivers can make informed decisions that benefit their child’s health.

Can you freeze milk twice?

You can only freeze and de-frost milk once (never re-freeze), so if you live in a small household, this is the best option to avoid wastage.

Why is it bad to refreeze after thawing?

You can safely refreeze frozen food that has thawed—raw or cooked, although there may be a loss of quality due to the moisture lost through thawing. To safely refreeze, the thawed product must have been kept cold at 40 degrees or below for no more than 3-4 days.

How good is frozen breast milk good for once thawed?

Using thawed breastmilk
Milk thawed in the refrigerator must be used within 24 hours. Milk thawed to room temperature or warmer should ideally be used in 1 to 2 hours. If your baby didn’t finish the bottle, the leftover breastmilk can still be used within 2 hours after the baby is done feeding.

What happens if you freeze milk twice?

Most people worry about the food safety of thawing and refreezing, but as long as it’s done right, it’s perfectly safe. The only risk you’ll take is ruining the taste and texture of the food.

Can thawed breast milk go back in the fridge?

Breastmilk can only be frozen once. Once thawed, it needs to be used up. It can stay in the fridge for up to 48 hours after being thawed, then/or once it has been brought up to room temperature, it needs to be used up within 5–8 hours. It cannot be refrigerated again.

Why can’t you refreeze thawed breast milk?

When the food is thawed, bacterial growth speeds up, especially if the food reaches room temperature. Now, if it is refrozen, there are more bacteria than before, and when it thaws out again, we start with a greater pool of bacteria that can multiply.

How many times can you freeze and thaw breast milk?

Use milk within 24 hours of thawing in the refrigerator (from the time it is completely thawed, not from the time when you took it out of the freezer). Use thawed milk within 2 hours of bringing to room temperature or warming. Never refreeze thawed milk.

Can I mix 2 frozen breast milk from different days?

According to Verywell Family, it is safe to combine breast milk from different days as long as you follow the proper guidelines. The milk must be stored in clean containers and kept at the same temperature. It is best to cool freshly expressed milk before combining it with older, previously cooled or frozen milk.

How to tell if frozen breast milk is bad?

The milk is likely to have a very distinctive sour smell and may even taste metallic, like soap or bitter. If it smells sour, it is very likely because of the lipase enzyme’s action on the fat content of breast milk.

Can breast milk come out of fridge and go back in?

Don’t put leftover breast milk back in the fridge to use later or refreeze it. It’s important to follow safety guidelines for breast milk because bacteria can grow in it if you leave it out for too long.