Freeze Food

Storage Times of Frozen Foods

Much of the food, whether raw or cooked, can be frozen without suffering large nutritional and organoleptic losses. Some foods, such as lean meat, are particularly suitable for storage at low temperatures, while others require special precautions.

Among the factors that have the greatest impact on the shelf life of frozen foods are above all the percentage of fat and water. The more these elements are abundant and the greater will be the alterations undergone by the food.

Salads and some types of vegetables

Lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers, due to their high water content, cannot be frozen, except to expect an "inevitable collapse, with evident loss of palatability.

Potatoes and other vegetables

They give a good yield only if pre-cooked, let cool under running water and drain

Smoked and sliced ​​foods Freezing leads to the inevitable loss of consistency, fragrance and the typical flavor given by smoking. Meat and fish

Their shelf life depends on the amount of fat they contain; if this percentage is high, they quickly turn rancid and are more easily perishable. This characteristic explains, for example, why supermarkets apply special offers on the sale of fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, herring and eel.

A separate discussion should be made for pork which, even if lean, cannot be frozen for long.

Crustaceans and molluscs Having a very low percentage of fat they adapt very well to freezing. Egg They can only be frozen if broken, separating the egg white from the yolk Cheeses

If they are hard dough (Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano) they lose compactness and become crumbly. In these cases it is better to freeze them grated and in small quantities.

Pasta and rice

Together with mayonnaise and other egg-based creams or sauces, pasta and rice fall into the category of non-freezable foods

Some advices

• Scrupulously clean the food, eliminating the excess of fat, bones, bones and various waste. This will allow to shorten the time of freezing, reducing energy costs and preserving the characteristics of the product.

• 

  Use flat and small packets, in this way freezing can take place more quickly, respecting an essential principle for keeping the properties of the food unaltered.
• In any case, bags impermeable to water, air, steam, fats and acids should always be used, able to protect food from drying and frost, avoiding premature rancidity of fats and the transmission of odors. . Before proceeding with their sealing, it is advisable to eliminate as much air as possible.
• Good results can also be obtained using special trays, equipped with hermetic closure and resistant to involuntary tearing that can affect the foil or polyethylene bags.
• Cooked foods should be left to cool, possibly covered, before being placed in the freezer.
• Storing food as neatly as possible prevents unnecessary gaps from forming inside the freezer.
• Apply a label to each bag specifying the type of food contained, the quantity, the date of packaging and, if you are not familiar with the average storage times, the date by which the product should be consumed.
• Always opt for rapid freezing, activating this function four hours before putting away the food and leaving it active for another 4. If present, use the compartment dedicated to pre-freezing. In any case, respect the instructions given in the appliance user manual.
• If the freezer forms ice inside, it must be defrosted at least once a year.