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Freezing and storing food
Freezing fresh food
Health risk caused by
decomposing food.
If the temperature in the freezer
remains above -18 °C for a long
time, the frozen food can start to
defrost. This will reduce the storage
life of the food.
Check whether the frozen food has
started to defrost. If it has, check
that the food is safe to use and if it
is, then use it as soon as possible or
cook it before freezing it again.
Fresh food should be frozen as quickly
as possible. This way the nutritional
value of the food, its vitamin content,
appearance and taste are not impaired.
If food is frozen quickly, the cells have
less time to lose moisture, so they
shrink significantly less. As there is not
so much moisture loss, it is easier for
the food to reabsorb it during the
defrosting process, and very little water
collects around the defrosted food.
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Maximum freezing capacity
To ensure that fresh food placed in the
freezer freezes through to the core as
quickly as possible, the maximum
freezing capacity must not be
exceeded. The maximum freezing
capacity for freezing within a 24-hour
period is given on the data plate:
"Freezing capacity ... kg/24 hrs".
Storing frozen food
When buying frozen food to store in
your freezer, check:
- That the packaging is not damaged
- The use-by date
- That the temperature at which the
frozen food is being stored in the
shop is -18 °C or colder
Where possible, transport frozen food
in an insulated bag and then store it
quickly in the refrigeration appliance.
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