Have you ever spotted tiny holes in your frozen food packaging and wondered if it’s still safe to eat? You’re not alone. An observant Walmart shopper recently went viral on TikTok after detecting minuscule holes in the packaging of a Great Value frozen food bag.
The video, which has accumulated over 202,300 views, shows TikTok user Mama Ash (@mamaashg) inspecting two bags of Great Value frozen shredded hash browns. She zooms in on the bags, revealing the minuscule holes in the packaging that left her questioning their safety and purpose.
“Walmart, what is this?” she asks in the video, adding, “Thankfully, I caught these before buying them, but there are these pinholes in our hash brown bags. No idea what it was. Any ideas?”
In response to the video, commenters quickly reassured the TikToker that the holes are not only normal but serve a specific purpose.
One commenter explained, “It’s so that moisture can escape from the bag. If the bag did not have holes, moisture would accumulate and mold.”
“All frozen fries/potatoes/some veggies have pinholes in them. I think it’s to keep them from getting freezer burnt or something,” another theorized.
Some viewers had other ideas. “I don’t know about potatoes but most veggies from the freezer have them so you can toss them in the microwave so they steam,” one TikTok user suggested.
Another proposed that “it’s so air can escape and the bags won’t pop open in storage.”
@mamaashg As if were not cautious enough as moms you have to be careful buying groceries too. Not sure what this was from but I wasn’t risking it! Any ideas?? @Walmart #walmart #fypシ゚viral #groceryhaul #groceryshopping #momsoftiktok ♬ original sound – MAMA ASH || sahm|leowife
Does frozen food require a sealed bag?
As it turns out, if properly frozen, food remains safe for consumption even without sealed packaging. The freezing process by itself is typically enough. But the primary purpose of the sealed packaging is to retain quality and freshness and avoid “freezer burn” over a longer period of time.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) even states, “If you notice that a package has accidentally been torn or has opened while food is in the freezer, the food is still safe to use; merely overwrap or rewrap it.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to TikTok user @mamaashg via email and to Walmart via the media relations contact form on its website.
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