GB-8
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Noises Inside the Freezer!
If you have not owned a freezer before, you may notice that it makes some rather unusual noises. Most of
these are perfectly normal, but you should be aware of them!
These noises are caused by the circulation of the refrigerant liquid in the cooling system. It has become
more pronounced since the introduction of CFC free gases. This is not a fault and will not affect the
performance of your freezer. This is the compressor motor working, as it pumps the refrigerant around the
system.
Shopping for Frozen Foods
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Your freezer compartment is 4-star.
When you are buying frozen food, check the storage guidelines on the packaging. You will be able to
store each item of frozen food for the period shown against the 4-star rating. This is usually the period
stated as “Best before” on the front of the packaging. The maximum freezing capacity of this freezer is
4.5 kg in 24 hours. Do not place fresh food into the freezer compartment exceeding this weight.
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Check the temperature of the frozen food cabinet in the shop where you buy your frozen foods. It
should show a temperature lower than -18°C.
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Take a quick look at the frozen food package and make sure it is in perfect condition.
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Always buy frozen products last on your shopping trip or visit to the supermarket. Try to keep frozen
food together whilst shopping and on the journey home as this will help to keep the food cold.
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Don’t buy frozen food unless you can freeze it straight away. Specially insulated bags can be bought
from most supermarkets and hardware shops. These bags can keep frozen food frozen longer.
Preparations for Freezing
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Use quality food and handle it as little as possible. Freeze food in small quantities as it freezes faster,
takes less time to defrost and enables you to control the quantity you need better.
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Leave cooked food to cool completely. Chill food in a freezer before freezing if possible.
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Consider how you will want to cook the food before freezing it.
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Don’t freeze food in metal containers if you may want to microwave it straight from the freezer.
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Use special freezer bags, freezer film, polythene bags, plastic containers, and aluminium foil (heavy
duty grade only). If in doubt, double wrap your food. Don’t use aluminium foil for acidic foods, e.g.
citrus fruits. Don’t use thin cling film, glass, nor used food containers without cleaning.
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Exclude as much air from the container as possible. You could buy a special vacuum pump which sucks
excessive air out of the packaging.
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Leave a small amount of air space when freezing liquids to allow expansion.
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You can use the space in the freezer most efficiently if you freeze liquids (or solids
with liquids, e.g. stew) in square blocks. This is known as “Preforming”. Pour the
liquid into a polythene bag which is inside a square sided container. Freeze it, and
then remove it from the container and seal the bag.
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Label your frozen foods as they will look the same when in frozen state. Use special
freezer tapes, labels and pens with different colours. This allows you to easily
organise and to effectively use the freezer. Write the contents and date; otherwise
the frozen food might exceed the storage time and this could cause food
poisoning. Please refer to your food packaging for the recommended storage time.
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You may also add the weight and cooking notes, e.g. “defrost first”, “cook from frozen” and keep
a separate log of what is in each drawer. This will save opening the door and searching around
unnecessarily.