When a persondies, their body immediately begins decomposing. For loved ones planning aviewing, funeral, or memorial service, this biological process can add anoverwhelming time crunch to an already stressful period.
Refrigeration helps to slow the decomposition process and elongate theamount of the time that the body can be stored.
There are two kinds of refrigerators for cooling abody:
1, In Positive Temperature Morgue Refrigerators, abody can be refrigerated for about two weeks before the effects ofdecomposition become pronounced.
2, In Negative Temperature Morgue Refrigerators, abody can be preserved for months.
Types of Refrigeration
There are twotypes of refrigeration commonly used to preserve the bodies of the deceased:
1. Positive Temperature MortuaryCold Chambers
Positive Temperature Refrigerators are commonly seenin funeral homes and mortuaries. They keep bodies between 36o Fahrenheit(F) and 39o F.
Though these freezers can slow the rate ofdecomposition, they do not stop it. As such, most morticians do not recommendstoring a body in a Positive Temperature Refrigerator for more than two weeks.
When using a Positive Temperature Refrigerator, theeffects of decomposition can begin to be seen after 24 hours with skin discolorationand physiological changes to the body.
Therefore, if you plan on having a viewing or opencasket funeral more than 24 hours after death, it is recommended to embalm thebody as well to further reduce the effects of decomposition.
2. Negative Temperature MortuaryCold Chambers
Negative Temperature Refrigerators are usually used atforensic institutes for criminal investigations and unidentified remains. Theyare kept between -58o F and 14o F.
The low temperatures of a Negative TemperatureRefrigerator freeze the body, reducing the effects of decomposition much moredramatically. As such, bodies in these refrigerators can be kept for months ata time.
Given the rise of cremation in the United States,refrigeration is becoming a more popular form of preservation. More funeralhomes are offering refrigeration services each year, and some are evenintroducing Negative Temperature Refrigerators for long term storage.
If you areplanning a funeral and wish to use refrigeration to preserve the body of thedeceased, it is important to check the refrigeration capabilities of thefuneral home before making arrangements.
The Amount of Time You Can Refrigerate a Body
The amount oftime that you can refrigerate a body is based on the type of refrigeration youare using and your final plans for the body.
Below, I havelisted the most common burial and cremation options and the amount of time thatrefrigeration can be used.
Type of Service Maximum Refrigeration Time Cremation, no viewing Positive Temperature: 2 weeks
Negative Temperature: Several monthsCremation with open-casket funeral or viewing Positive Temperature: 24-48 hours
Negative Temperature: Several months, though the likelihood of a viewing decreases the longer the viewing is delayed.Burial, no viewing Positive Temperature: 2 weeks
Negative Temperature: Several monthsBurial with open-casket funeral or viewing Positive Temperature: 24-48 hours
Negative Temperature: Several months, though the likelihood of a viewing decreases the longer the viewing is delayed.Eco-burial, no viewing Positive Temperature: 2 weeks
Negative Temperature: Several monthsEco-burial with open-casket funeral or viewing Positive Temperature: 24-48 hours
Negative Temperature: Several months, though the likelihood of a viewing decreases the longer the viewing is delayed.
There arecertain situations in which embalming is required, rather than refrigeration.For example, certain states have laws which require any buried body to beembalmed.
Bodies are alsorequired to be embalmed if they present a public health risk.
Additionally,many funeral homes in the United States require any body that will be viewed tobe embalmed. This ensures that the body is presentable on the day of thefuneral or viewing.
If you do notwant to use embalming for your viewing or open-casket funeral, it is importantto make sure you find a funeral home that is willing to accommodate yourrequest.
In the UnitedStates, the average time between death and the funeral is three to seven days.As such, refrigeration-only will not be a viable option for many open-casketfunerals. For more information on how embalming can help further decreasedecomposition, see How Long after Death You Can Have an Open CasketFuneral.
The Best Times to Use Refrigeration
It can bedifficult to choose between refrigeration and embalming, as both can beeffective for preserving the body of the deceased. When deciding between thetwo, it is best to consider the following:
1. Cost
According to a 2019report by the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), the average cost for embalming in theUnited States was $750.
Contrarily, many funeral homes will include the costof refrigeration in the body preparation costs, or request a small daily chargefor refrigerator use.
If you are planning a funeral on a budget, going withrefrigeration instead of embalming can save you money.
2. Time
As I discussed above, if you are looking to have aviewing or open-casket funeral more than 24 hours after death, it is typicallybest to use embalming instead of refrigeration.
However, if you are planning a funeral or cremationwithout a viewing, refrigeration is a great option.
3. Cremation
When a body is to be cremated, refrigeration istypically used to preserve the body for the short duration between death andcremation.
However, embalming may be recommended for a body thatis going to be cremated if a viewing or open-casket ceremony is going to occurprior to the cremation.
Many states have legislation that requires a body tobe refrigerated for 24-48 hours prior to cremation. In these states, refrigerationwill be mandatory regardless of whether or not you decide to embalm.
4. Religion
There are some religions, such as the Muslim, Bahái,and Orthodox Jewish faiths, that prohibit embalming. In these situations,refrigeration is the best storage option prior to the funeral or memorialservice.
5. Legality
In cases where the body is part of an investigation, alegal dispute, or is unidentified, it may be necessary to store the body for anelongated period of time.
In these cases, it is best to store the body in aNegative Temperature Refrigerator to slow the decomposition process as much aspossible.
6. Environmental Impact
Embalming involves the use of hazardous chemicals thatare unhealthy for both humans and the environment. Therefore, refrigerationpresents a much more environmental solution for preservation.
If the body is going to undergo an eco-burial in agreen cemetery, it will have to be refrigerated, as embalming is not allowed.
7. Preferences of the Deceasedand Immediate Family
As with any funeral decision you make, it is importantto consider the wishes of both the deceased and their immediate family.Whenever possible, it is best to honor their wishes and use the preservationmethod of their choice.
Funeral Home Refrigeration in the United States
Surprisingly, despiterefrigeration being a viable preservation alternative to embalming, a largepercentage of funeral homes in the United States do not have refrigeration onsite.
Embalming wasby far the most popular option for the past several decades, and many funeralhomes relied on embalming as their only source of preservation for the bodiesthey prepped.
However, ascremation and eco-burials have become more popular, more funeral homes haveinvested in Positive Temperature Refrigeration options. In fact, many funeralhomes are now even investing in Negative Temperature Refrigeration to furthermeet demand.
If you are making plans for a deceased family member or friend and plan to use refrigeration as your preservation method, it is important to discuss refrigeration with your funeral home prior to making any arrangements.
Writer: Taylor Steed
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Sources:
https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2059&context=etd
https://funeralcompanion.com/refrigerating-before-cremation/
https://medium.com/@descomedicalindia1/mortuary-coolers-what-makes-for-a-good-cooler-fe04b1ac222d
