^
Make sure that the packaging and
containers are dry to prevent them
sticking together when frozen.
When freezing, make sure that food
already frozen does not come into
contact with fresh food being frozen
as this could cause the frozen food
to begin to defrost.
Freezer calendar
The freezer calendar on the freezer
drawer gives the length of time which
various foods can be stored for
effectively.
Where the storage time given on the
packaging differs, follow the advice on
the packaging.
Marker system for frozen food
Markers serve as a reminder of how
long food has been stored.
Each freezer drawer has two slide
markers with dials. The months are
represented on the dials as 1 - 12.
^
Slide the markers onto the guide
runners on the edge of the drawers.
Use the markers to indicate the type of
food being frozen, and turn the dials to
the appropriate number to indicate the
month the food was first placed in the
freezer.
Defrosting
Frozen food can be defrosted in different
ways:
– in a microwave oven,
– in an oven using the "Fan" or "Defrost"
setting,
– at room temperature,
– in a refrigerator,
– in a steam oven.
Poultry
It is particularly important to
observe food hygiene rules when
defrosting poultry. Do not use the liquid
from defrosted poultry. Pour it away and
wash the container it was in, the sink and
your hands. Danger of salmonella
poisoning.
Fruit
should be defrosted at room
temperature in its packing, or in a
covered bowl.
Most vegetables
can be cooked while
still frozen. Just put straight into boiling
water or hot fat. The cooking time is
slightly less than that of fresh vegetables.
Never re-freeze partially or fully
defrosted food. Consume defrosted
food as soon as possible as it will lose
its nutritional value and spoil if left for
too long. Defrosted food may only be
re-frozen after it has been cooked.
Freezing and storing food
27
