6
To prevent transfer of flavours and drying out, food should be separately packed or
covered. Fruit and vegetables need not be wrapped.
Let pre-cooked food cool properly
Always let pre-cooked food cool down before you put it in the Refrigerator. This will stop
the internal temperature of the Refrigerator from rising.
Shut the door!
To prevent cold air escaping, limit the number of times you open the door. When returning
from shopping, sort foods to be kept in your Refrigerator while the door is closed.
Shopping for frozen foods
Your Freezer Compartment is 4 star
When you are buying frozen food, look at the Storage Guidelines on the packaging. You
will be able to store each item of frozen food for the period shown against the 4 Star rating.
Check the Refrigerator temperature
Check the temperature of the frozen food Cabinet in the shop where you buy your frozen
foods. It should show a temperature lower than -18°C.
Choose packs carefully
Take a quick look at the frozen food package and make sure it is in perfect condition.
Purchase frozen food last
Always buy frozen products last on your shopping trip or visit to the supermarket.
Keep frozen foods together
When you are going around the supermarket and when you are traveling home, if you
keep all the frozen foods together they will help to keep each other cold.
Store food straight away
Don’t buy frozen food unless you can freeze it straight away.
Special insulated bags can be bought from most supermarkets and hardware shops.
These keep frozen food cold for longer.
Thawing frozen food
For some foods, thawing before cooking is unnecessary. Vegetables and pasta can be
added directly to boiling water or steam cooker. Frozen sauces and soups can be put into
a saucepan and heated gently until thawed.
To Thaw frozen foods
1
Cover food loosely.
2
Thaw at room temperature. Don’t forget that thawing in a warm area encourages the
growth of bacteria.
3
Always make sure there are no ice crystals in the food before cooking, particularly with
meat. These crystals indicate that the food is not fully thawed. They result in lower
temperatures when cooking. Lower cooking temperatures may not destroy dangerous
bacteria.
4
Cook food as soon as possible after thawing.
5
Drain off and throw away any liquid lost during thawing.
Oven Thawing frozen foods
Many microwaves and ovens have thaw settings.
To avoid bacterial build up, only use these if you intend to cook the food immediately
afterwards.
Safety Tips
•
Never re-freeze anything that has thawed out unless you cook it again, to kill off harmful
bacteria
