12
Freezing fresh food
Freeze fresh and undamaged food only.
To retain the best possible nutritional value, flavour
and colour, vegetables should be blanched before
freezing. Aubergines, peppers, zucchini and
asparagus do not require blanching.
Literature on freezing and blanching can be found
in bookshops.
Note
Keep food which is to be frozen away from food which
is already frozen.
The following foods are suitable for freezing:
Cakes and pastries, fish and seafood, meat, game,
poultry, vegetables, fruit, herbs, eggs without shells,
dairy products such as cheese, butter and quark,
ready meals and leftovers such as soups, stews,
cooked meat and fish, potato dishes, soufflés and
desserts.
The following foods are not suitable for freezing:
Types of vegetables, which are usually consumed raw,
such as lettuce or radishes, eggs in shells, grapes,
whole apples, pears and peaches, hard-boiled eggs,
yoghurt, soured milk, sour cream, crème fraîche and
mayonnaise.
Packing frozen food
To prevent food from losing its flavour or drying out,
place in airtight containers.
1.
Place food in packaging.
2.
Remove air.
3.
Seal the wrapping.
4.
Label packaging with contents and date of
freezing.
Suitable packaging:
Cling wrap, tubular film made of polyethylene,
aluminium foil, freezer containers.
These products are available from specialist outlets.
Unsuitable packaging:
Wrapping paper, greaseproof paper, cellophane, bin
liners and used shopping bags.
Items suitable for sealing packaged food:
Rubber bands, plastic clips, string, cold-resistant
adhesive tape, etc.
Bags and tubular film made of polyethylene can be
sealed with a film heat sealer.
Shelf life of frozen food
Depends on the type of food.
At a temperature of -18 °C:
▯
Fish, sausage, ready meals and cakes and
pastries:
up to 6 months
▯
Cheese, poultry and meat:
up to 8 months
▯
Vegetables and fruit:
up to 12 months
Fast freezing
Food should be frozen solid as quickly as possible in
order to retain vitamins, nutritional value, appearance
and flavour.
To prevent an undesirable temperature rise when
placing fresh food in the freezer compartment, switch
on fast freezing several hours beforehand. As a rule,
4-6 hours is adequate.
If the max. freezing capacity is to be used, fast
freezing must be switched on for 24 hours before the
fresh produce is placed in the freezer compartment.
Smaller quantities of food (up to 2 kg) can be frozen
without Fast freezing.
Note
When fast freezing is switched on, increased
operating noises may occur.
Switching on and off
Press fast freezing button
3
.
If the fast freezing has been switched on the button is
lit.
Fast freezing automatically switches off after
approx. 2½ days.