Page 40
Freezing food / storing frozen food
Freezing
Freezing means thoroughly freezing –
ideally "shock-freezing" – fresh food
at room temperature to the core. If cooled
too slowly, the food "freezes to death", i.e.
its
structure
is
destroyed.
consistency, taste and nutritional value
demands a uniform storage temperature of
–18 °C.
Preparing food
• Only freeze food of acceptable quality.
• Freeze fresh and prepared meals
unsalted and unseasoned. Food frozen
when unsalted has a longer shelf life.
• Allow prepared food to cool before you
freeze it. This not only saves energy, but
also prevents excessive frost formation
in the freezer compartment.
• Carbonated beverages are not suitable
for freezing as the carbon dioxide
escapes when frozen.
The right packaging
Packaging is important when deep-freezing.
It
should
protect
microbes, the transmission of odours and
flavours and desiccation (freezer burn).
• Only use packaging material that is
durable, impermeable to air and
liquids, not too rigid and that can be
labelled. It should be identified as
freezer packaging.
Portioning
• Wherever possible, create flat portions,
as they freeze through to the core more
quickly.
• Stroke out the air from the freezer bag,
as it encourages desiccation and
takes away space.
• To close the bags, use plastic clips,
rubber bands or adhesive tape.
Retaining
against
oxidation,
• Fill liquid containers ¾ maximum, as
liquids expand when frozen.
• Do not store glass or metal containers
containing liquid. The containers may
burst.
• Only freeze high-percentage alcohol
when tightly closed.
• Label frozen goods according to the
type, amount, freezing date and use-by
date. Wherever possible, use smudge-
proof felt-tip pens or adhesive labels.
How to stock properly
Maximum freezing capacity
Comply
with
the
capacity. You can find the "Freezing
capacity in kg/24h" in the data sheet
on page 53.
Freezing smaller quantities
• Up to 2 kg: As soon as the
temperature in the freezer
compartment reaches -18 °C, you can
freeze fresh food at room temperature.
• Over 2 kg: The fresh goods must not
come into contact with the frozen goods
already in storage, as they may
otherwise thaw. If it is impossible to
prevent contact with the stored frozen
goods, we recommend generating
additional freezing capacity in the
freezer compartment prior to freezing the
fresh goods.
After
storing
the
temperature will temporarily rise in the
freezer compartment. After a further 24
hours, the goods will be frozen to the core.
maximum
freezing
fresh
goods,
the