Twinkies return to supermarket shelves on July 15 but they will be frozen first

The return of Twinkies to supermarket shelves on July 15 has been marred by the decision to freeze them as it could threaten the product’s integrity.

The freezing of the popular all-American pastries has been confirmed by the manufacturer company, Hostess Brands Inc, which said in a statement to Huff Post Business that the decision was made due to requests from their retail customers.

The statement said it will allow the retailers to “date the product for freshness” while giving them “flexibility in filling their shelves”.

The plan is to bake the goodies at five plants and freeze them before shipping them through independent drivers to supermarket warehouses, according to sources.

Stores would defrost them and restock the shelves as needed.

However, according to the New York Post, some people fear the new freezing process could threaten the product’s future popularity and integrity.

A common urban legend claims that Twinkies – a sponge cake with white creamy filling – have an infinite shelf life, or can last unspoiled for a relatively long time, due to the chemicals used in their production.

This urban legend is false, although Twinkies can last a relatively long time because they are made without dairy products and thus spoil more slowly than most bakery items.

Twinkies are in fact on the shelf for a short time, according to a company executive who told the New York Times in 2000 that the Twinkie is on the shelf “no more than 7 to 10 days”.

Twinkies’ myth of having a long shelf life has been referenced in films and television shows such as Die Hard, WALL-E, Zombieland, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, and Family Guy.

But Hostess denies the decision to freeze the cakes before they hit the shelves will have any impact.

“Any suggestion that Hostess is changing the integrity of the iconic snack cakes consumers have loved is completely untrue,” said Hostess spokeswoman, Hannah Arnold.

“The new ownership is absolutely committed to baking top quality snack cakes and, in fact, is making major investments to ensure that Hostess products are as good, if not even better, than before,” she said.

Hostess filed for bankruptcy in early 2012, after an acrimonious fight with its unionized workers last year.

It is now back up and running under new owners and a leaner structure under investment firm Metropoulos & Co. who swooped in to buy Twinkies and other Hostess snacks in 2013.

Based on the outpouring of nostalgia sparked by its demise, Hostess is expecting a blockbuster when it returns to shelves on July 15 with its Twinkies and other sugary treats, such as CupCakes and Donettes.

The Twinkie was invented in Illinois, in 1930.