EN 24
STORING AND FREEZING FOOD
Recommended storage times of frozen food in the freezer
Type of food
Storage life
Fruit, beef
10 to 12 months
Vegetables, veal, poultry
8 to 10 months
Venison
6 to 8 months
Pork
4 to 6 months
Finely chopped or minced meat
4 months
Bread, pastas, cooked dishes, whitefish
3 months
Offal
2 months
Smoked sausage, bluefish
1 month
Defrosting frozen food
• Thawing is an important step in storing food preserved by freezing. Food must be thawed in
the correct way.
• Suitable methods of thawing food are:
▷
in the refrigerator;
▷
in cold water;
▷
in a microwave or conventional oven with a suitable thaw program.
• Some frozen products can be prepared without needing to thaw them first. The manufacturer
will state this on the packaging.
• The food needs to be packed in small portions. In this way the food thaws faster.
• Use partially or completely thawed food as quickly as possible. The bacteria in thawed food
are reactivated and the food will spoil rapidly. This applies in particular to fruit, vegetables
and ready-made food.
• Do not refreeze partially or completely thawed food.
