A BARROW butcher has warned people to avoid freezing fresh meat if they want to get the best taste out of their purchased goods.

Mark Prowle, who works at N.C. Meats in Dalton Road, thinks that freezing meats causes them to lose their flavour and that it is always better to buy meat as and when you need it.

The warning comes after supermarket across the UK were criticised for confusing shoppers by giving them incorrect advice on freezing fresh meat.

Mr Prowle said: "For meats like chicken it is always best to freeze it straight away or just use it as you can. For other meats, you can freeze them but they are best consumed fresh as they can start to lose their flavour as the juices start to bleed out.

"If you are planning on freezing meat, keep it for only a maximum of two months. Six months is too long and if you don't wrap it correctly it could start to freezer burn."

READ MORE: Frozen food confusion adding to waste problem, survey finds

Mr Prowle advised people to put fresh meat in a bag and then wrap in tin foil to maintain the best quality of meat when you defrost.

He added: "Buying fresh meat and eating it within a few days is the best way of going about things and it is always better to shop local instead of using supermarkets.

"If you can, don't use your freezer at all if you can help it. That is the advice that we always offer to our customers."

The nationwide survey conducted by Ask the Q, found that 75 per cent of stores tell shoppers to freeze meat on the day of purchase and consume it within a month.

It also found that 10 out of the 11 shops questioned told customers to eat frozen fresh meat within a month of purchase

However, according to the Food Standards Agency, it is safe to freeze food up until its "use by" date and store it in the freezer for up to six months.

Supermarkets said the advice that they offer to customers is based on quality reasons - not safety reasons, but this is not specified on packets of meat.

Anya Hart Dyke, who conducted the survey, said: "My advice to consumers is to fall back on some good old fashioned common sense - if a product is safe to eat until its use by date then it's safe to freeze before that date too.

"Also, try and label the meat you freeze with the date you froze it on. It's safe to eat indefinitely but for 'best quality,' frozen meat can be eaten up to 6 months later. Remember, the 'consume within 1 month' guidance most retailers give has nothing to do with food safety."

How do you deal with freezing fresh meat? Answer this survey and tell us your freezing habits...

<div style="margin:0 auto;max-width:640px;"><div style="width:100%;padding-top:110%;position:relative"><iframe style="position:absolute;top:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:none;" src="//www.riddle.com/a/80585?fixed=1"><section><h2>How do you tackle freezing fresh meat?</h2><p><div>Answer these quick questions about freezing fresh meat.</div></p></section><section><h3>When do you freeze fresh meat that you have purchased?</h3><p>On the day of purchase</p><p>By the sell-by date</p><p>Beyond the sell-by date</p></section><section><h3>How long do you keep fresh meat in the freezer for?</h3><p>Up to one month</p><p>Up to two months</p><p>Up to six months</p><p>Forever</p></section><section></section></iframe></div></div>

Five myths about freezing fresh meat?

Myth 1) If you've defrosted frozen meat or chicken you can't refreeze it

From a safety point of view, it is fine to refreeze defrosted meat or chicken or any frozen food as long as it was defrosted in a fridge running at 5°C or below. Some quality may be lost by defrosting then refreezing foods as the cells break down a little and the food can become slightly watery.

Myth 2) Wash meat before you prepare and/or cook it

It is NOT a good idea to wash meats and poultry when preparing for cooking. Splashing water that might contain potentially hazardous bacteria around the kitchen can create more of a hazard if those bacteria are splashed onto ready-to-eat foods or food preparation surfaces.

Myth 3) Hot food should be left out to cool completely before putting it in the fridge

It's not OK to leave perishable food out for an extended time or overnight before putting it in the fridge.

Hot leftovers, and any other leftovers for that matter, should go into the fridge once they have stopped steaming to reduce condensation, within about 30 minutes.

Myth 4) If it smells OK, then it's OK to eat

Pathogenic bacteria can grow in food and not cause any obvious changes to the food, so the best option is to inhibit pathogen growth by refrigerating foods.

Myth 5) Oil preserves food so it can be left at room temperature

Adding oil to foods will not necessarily kill bugs lurking in your food.