Maximum freezing capacity
To ensure that fresh food placed in the
freezer section freezes through to the
core as quickly as possible, the
maximum freezing capacity must not
be exceeded. The maximum freezing
capacity for freezing within a 24 hour
period is given on the data plate
“Freezing capacity ....kg/24 hrs”.
The maximum freezing capacity given
on the data plate has been calculated
according to DIN EN ISO 15502 Stan-
dard.
Freezing fresh food
Fresh food should be frozen as quickly
as possible. This way the nutritional
value of the food, its vitamin content,
appearance and taste are not impaired.
Food which takes a long time to freeze
will lose more water from its cells, which
then shrink.
During the defrosting process, only
some of this water is reabsorbed by the
cells; the rest collects around the food.
In practice this means that the food
loses a large degree of its moisture.
You can tell if this has happened by the
amount of liquid around the food.
If food is frozen quickly, the cells have
less time to lose moisture, so they
shrink less.
As there is not so much moisture, it is
easier for the food to reabsorb it during
the defrosting process, and very little
water collects around the defrosted
food.
Storing frozen food
When buying frozen food to store in
your freezer section, check
– that the packaging is not damaged,
– the use-by date,
– and the temperature at which the
frozen food is being stored in the
shop. The length of time it can be
kept is reduced if it has been stored
at a temperature warmer than -18 °C.
^
Buy frozen food once you have
finished the rest of your shopping,
and wrap it in newspaper or use a
cool bag or cool box to transport it.
^
Store it in the freezer section as soon
as possible.
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
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