Frozen foods from the shops are well packaged
Frozen foods are carefully wrapped in materials that ensure no air enters and that no moisture escapes. So keep the packaging on during freezing!
If you are putting food in the freezer ensure that you seal it well so that your frozen food stays freshly frozen for longer. Because, if packaging is damaged then moisture may escape from the food and oxidisation will happen – but this can be avoided by reading on... we’ll talk you through the pitfalls of storing frozen food!
Frozen food
Around since the Ice Age
Freezing is one of the oldest and most widely used methods of food preservation. It is a natural process and requires no preservatives – the reduced temperature alone keeps the food fresh. Frozen food has been used since the Romans and the Ancient Chinese 3,000 years ago. Click here for the history of frozen foods. Freezing food keeps taste, texture and nutrition in foods better than other methods because no preservatives are added. Freezing food preserves food naturally because it stops micro-organisms from spoiling the food.
But enough science! All you may want to know is that if you store your frozen food correctly you’ll keep the nutrients, flavour, colour, taste and quality. And, that if your frozen food is correctly packaged, it should last for months and defrost in perfect condition. Keep it well and your frozen meals can last for a very long time.
Freezer burn
How does it happen?
Freezer burn is rarely seen with frozen foods and frozen meals from the supermarket and normally occurs with home freezing or in the rare occasion of supermarket pre-packaged frozen meal packaging being damaged. Freezer burn is the result of air getting into contact with the frozen food and faulty packaging can sometimes be the cause. Frozen food that gets in contact with the air loses its moisture and greyish-white patches appear – a sure sign that the food has dried out and is now less tender.
The methods used in commercial freezing for the frozen foods we buy in the shops (such as Contact Freezers, Plate Freezers, Belt Freezers, Cryogenic Freezers and Liquid Nitrogen) rapidly freeze foods to temperatures below -18°C. Commercial storage keeps the frozen food at that temperature constantly and freezer burn is avoided. See here how Clarence Birdseye perfected the art of frozen food technology. If it were not for Clarence Birdseye perhaps we might not have frozen meals!
Freezer burn
How can we prevent it?
Frozen food and frozen ready meals from shops is excellently packaged and freezer burn is extremely unlikely to happen in the shops. But when buying frozen food you do need to check the packaging for damage and check that the pre-packaged frozen meals have been stored well at the shop (have a look for ice crystals as they are a sure sign that the food has not been properly looked after).
Freezer burn is most likely to happen at home but it is easily avoided! All you have to do is package your food well, keep the temperature of your freezer constant and regularly do a stock check on your frozen foods – if you store them for longer than is good for them their quality will deteriorate. Click here to see how long frozen foods can be stored. You will need to keep the temperature of your freezer below 0°F (-18°C). Click here to see how to operate your freezer efficiently.
Packaging
What packaging should I use?
One of the advantages of buying pre-packaged frozen meals from supermarkets is that there is little wastage – any portions you do not wish to eat can easily be put back in the freezer for another day. Frozen meals are professionally packaged to keep the food as fresh as possible for as long as possible. It is when you put frozen food portions back in your freezer you need to consider how best to package them in order to keep the frozen food fresh. From rigid plastic containers to polythene freezer bags and from cling film to heavy aluminium foil – we’ll talk you through keeping your frozen food fresh.
Click here for information on the best materials to use to store and package your frozen food.
Before freezing
Always cool your food
If you put warm foods in the freezer you may raise the temperature of surrounding frozen foods and this will partly defrost them. If this happens the foods will thaw then refreeze and their quality will be reduced. So, never put warm foods back in your freezer – cool them in your fridge first!The frozen foods we buy in the shops are of such good quality because they are frozen very quickly. If the item is warm as it is put into the freezer then it will not freeze quickly – freezing food quickly is freezing food best!
Freeze small portions
Again, best quality freezing is freezing that is done quickly!
Your home freezer is designed to store frozen foods and is not as efficient at actually freezing them. So, always try to avoid freezing large portions because they take longer to freeze.
Good freezing
Good freezing is best achieved if you can reduce the amount of air
Air that gets into contact with the foods during the freezing process can cause freezer burn. This is because air can cause freezer burn and damage to your foods. So, when freezing liquids you should always fill the container as close to the top as possible whilst leaving a space at the top for the liquid to expand. We recommended about 5cm for a litre. When using freezer bags you should squeeze out the excess air before sealing.
Labelling
Stick to the facts!
There can be nothing more disappointing than defrosting Bolognese for your family to find out that it is actually fruit compote! Not only is it important to know what you have frozen but also it’s important to know when you put it in the freezer! Have a look here for our storage times for frozen food and ensure that you label your frozen foods and consume them within the periods we recommend.Now that your food is stored well you can look forward to defrosting it safely in months to come!
Find out more about frozen food here
