Freezing is a healthy method
of preserving food without preservatives, which naturally inhibits the action
of microbes, enzymes and oxidation that cause food spoilage, making food
consumption safe for a long period of time after their storage in the freezer.
The frozen food retains its quality, its organoleptic characteristics and its nutritional value, provided that it is frozen properly and has not thawed at all, until it is time to defrost it and use it in a safe way. We can freeze almost everything, such as fresh food, fully and partially cooked food, recipe materials and more. In addition, we are able to obtain larger quantities of food during their season (e.g. vegetables), freeze them and consume them fresh for many months. Certainly, there are some rules we must follow when we want to freeze food and they are in general as follows.
General rules:
• Use packages which withstand the freezing cold
• Check frequently that freezing is at the right temperature, i.e. below -18 °C
• When freezing fluids, fill the pot up to 3/4 to avoid its breakage by dilation of the liquid when cooled
• Unlike refrigerators, freezers have to be filled with many provisions, as this allows the freezer to work better.
• Use packages which withstand the freezing cold
• Check frequently that freezing is at the right temperature, i.e. below -18 °C
• When freezing fluids, fill the pot up to 3/4 to avoid its breakage by dilation of the liquid when cooled
• Unlike refrigerators, freezers have to be filled with many provisions, as this allows the freezer to work better.
We never freeze:
• Fresh white cheeses, cream cheeses, yellow cheeses
• Yogurt and cream from milk
• Sauces containing eggs
• Hot food
• Fresh white cheeses, cream cheeses, yellow cheeses
• Yogurt and cream from milk
• Sauces containing eggs
• Hot food
Deep freezing requires
temperatures below -18 °C and the cooler the freezer is, the better the
preservation of the food it makes. All modern freezers feature labeling symbols
known as "stars". The 3-star (***) freezers reach a temperature of -18 °C, which
is suitable for food preservation of several weeks up to 3 months, while the
4-star (****) freezers can reach a
temperature of lower than -25 °C, which is suitable for food preservation of
several months.