Important
If accidental thawing occurs – due to a
power cut for example – the foods must be
used up very quickly or else cooked
immediately and refrozen. If, however, the
power failure is relatively brief (from 6 to 8
hours) and the freezer compartment is
packed full, the frozen foods will not suffer
any damage.
Storage of commercially frozen
food
To get the best out of your freezer, in the case of
storage of commercially frozen food you should
ensure that:
■
the products have been correctly stored by the
retailer;
■
that there is only a very short time between when
you purchase the products and when you put
them in the freezer;
■
you do not store products for longer than the time
specified by the food manufacturer;
■
In addition, if the freezer has been out of use for
some time, before putting the products in the
compartment let the freezer run for at least two
hours on the quick-freeze (SUPER) setting. After
this, reset the freezer for normal storage use;
■
Avoid opening the door too frequently and when
you do open it, leave it open only for as long as is
strictly necessary;
■
A word of warning about ice lollies: they should
not be eaten straight out of the freezer as this
might cause cold burns.
To remove the drawers, proceed as follows: pull the
drawer out until it comes to a stop, then tilt it upwards
(see figure).
Freezing of fresh foods
To quick-freeze foods when the appliance has not
been in use, switch on the freezer and let it run on the
quick-freeze setting for at least three hours before
putting the food to be frozen in the compartment.
If instead the appliance is already in operation, it
should run on the quick-freeze setting for at least 24
hours before the foods are put in the freezer. Once
the foods have been placed in the freezer, the
freezing operation can be considered to be complete
24 hours later. Once freezing is complete, the freezer
should be reset for normal storage use.
Food to be frozen has to be placed in the top
compartment.
The maximum amount of food which is freezable in
24 hours is indicated on the rating plate. This is to be
found on the bottom left-hand side.
You should never freeze all at once a greater quantity
of foods than the maximum indicated on the
appliance’s rating plate.
To help you get the best out of the freezing process,
here are a few hints:
■
Freeze only good-quality, fresh and well-cleaned
foods. Split them into small portions to speed up
freezing and avoid having to thaw more food than
you require. It is in fact important to remember that
once the foods have thawed out, they deteriorate
fast.
■
Another point to remember is that lean foods keep
better and longer than fatty foods. Salt too reduces
storage times.
■
Wrap the foods in foil or polythene film, ensuring
that the wrapping adheres closely to the food and
is well sealed. In this way, by avoiding contact with
air, the colour flavour and nutritional value of the
foods remain intact.
■
During the freezing process, do not add further
foods for freezing and do not open the freezer
door.
■
The foods for freezing should not be placed in
contact with already frozen foods, but put in the
special freezing compartment. This will stop the
temperature of already frozen foods from rising.
■
Never put fizzy drinks in the freezer as they might
well burst.
■
In addition, never put hot foods or liquids in the
freezer compartment and take care not to fill
recipients up to the brim if they are covered with a
lid.
■
It is a good idea to mark the packs with the date
on which freezing started so that you can keep a
check on storage periods.
A special card is located on the inner door of the
freezer compartment showing pictures of different
types of food followed by a figure. These figures
indicate the maximum storage time, in months, for
each type of food.
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