Yeah, mine says 08-08-11 at the end so I obviously got an earlier batch that's evidently fine.

Poor NI, not having much luck with complaining PF members at the moment

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Thanks for all the replies.

The smell doesn't occur right after defrosting, but probably around the next or second day. They didn't have this problem with the old containers.. I've thought abou the idea of defrosting the food and then putting them into smaller batches and right back into the freezer again. However, I'm not too sure about defrosting and then freezing again, I thought it wasn't good on the food?

My batch is from 17 August.

Ah. We both have the same batch and same problem. :/
I'll contact NI tomorrow..

I've defrosted a new tub today and it smelt fine so will see what it's like tomorrow. I'll check the batch too. I have found that if it isn't eaten within two days the cats aren't interested in it even though I don't think it smells off at all. I'll have to try splitting it into smaller portions.
I buy mine from Pets Corner so don't have the problem with broken packs - though I have noticed a couple in their freezer.

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How we behave toward cats here below determines our status in heaven. - Robert A. Heinlein
http://www.lambchopsiamese.webs.com

It's okay to refreeze meat that has been defrosted as long as it has been defrosted entirely in the fridge and it hasn't been left in the fridge for too long, hence the portioning within 12 hours and refreezing. Refrozen meat sometimes has a slight loss in quality due to ice crystals forming and breaking up the meat, but this is more to do with whole chunks or slabs of meat. The problem with mince is that bacteria is more likely to multiply and get to more areas of minced meat, but as long as the temperature was always kept low as in refrigerator and it's not left unfrozen too long, the bacterial growth is slow.

If meat has been left out in room temperature for 2 hours or more (or 1 hour in 32 deg C), it has to be cooked thoroughly as soon as possible to prevent spoilage.

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My lifelong ambition is to be a crazy cat lady. The only obstacle is my OH.

Who will go and who gets to stay? Stay tuned...

margot....did you ever contact NI? And did you get a response?
My email seems to have been ignored, but then they may be fed up with me as I had emailed just a day or two before to question if the tubs were 400g as labels said, or 450g as web site advertised.
I have used a couple more tubs since and not had the same problem again mind you.

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Nellie Paddy Mitzy Milo Peggy Murphy

Millie and Monty, the White Devils!

Hey, sorry for the late response!

No, they never emailed me back- they never do! Nor do they ever follow delivery instructions!

The tubs I have received have been much better as far as the smell goes. However, it's been seeming to be kind of a gambling game with NI. A couple/few times, I have received batches that my cat wouldn't even eat! So, I would end up wasting a lot and having to look for alternatives for the time being. But the following batch, she would eat, then some of the next she wouldn't touch. It's kind of stressing me out at the moment, and I'm seriously thinking about looking for a better alternative.