What you should know about frozen foods? Freezing foods is a way of preserving them which slows down their decomposition, lengthening their useful life. It is important to remember this it arrests its deterioration, but does not correct it.
Faster freezing generates smaller ice crystals and maintains cell structure. So that, properly frozen food, They are an option that we can incorporate into shopping and cooking. Let’s see a more detailed analysis.
What are the disadvantages of slow freezing?
If the product has been frozen slowly or has undergone sudden changes in temperature during storage, the crystals that form are largeas stated by A article made in 2016.
We are talking about water that cannot be recovered in the defrosting process, therefore the texture of the food is altered as is its nutritional value. In turn, this lost liquid can destroy water-soluble nutrients, such as some vitamins.
Do the nutritional properties of frozen foods change?
NO. Frozen vegetables from industry maintain the nutritional properties of fresh vegetables, as they are processed quickly after harvest, at the optimum time.
As vitamins are lost with heat, Not because of the low temperatures. In turn, the minerals are spoiled in part by cutting and subsequently washing the food, and also in the water when it is boiled.
The micronutrients in the food will remain intact for as long freeze before cooking. Nutrient losses due to handling, cooking and processing before freezing are irrecoverable.
So can I freeze any food?
Almost anything can be frozen. However, sometimes textures, smells and some flavors are so altered that it is not advisable to use this method. For example:
- The meats can be kept for 3 to 12 months, no more.
- Cured meats and sausages between 1 and 2 months.
- Blue fish less than 3 months old.
- Bread between 3 and 6 months.
- Soups about 60 days.
- Butter between 3 and 6 months maximum.
We must not stop thinking that this process is also a great advantage for organizing our weekly meals and, in this way, being able to eat a healthy balanced diet within the busy schedules we follow some days.
5 basic rules about frozen foods
Here is some information that may be relevant to your day:
- Never freeze food that has already thawed. Repeating the process will compromise the qualities of the food.
- Use appropriate containers that keep the product isolated, since “An airtight container is essential to protect food from dehydration, oxidation and the transmission of odors”. Airtight glass containers are the best option.
- The fact that there are pictures on the outside of the drawers can be very helpful; Dividers help separate food, so there’s no cross-contamination when freezing. Use them, it will be much easier to identify foods inside a tidy freezer as well. Another good option for identifying your frozen products is to use labels.
- Follow the instructions for your freezer and make sure that the temperature is at least a constant -20ºC during the process.
- If you freeze a cooked dish, remember to defrost it a little at a time, transferring it from the freezer to the fridge the night before eating it. Thawing food at room temperature can increase the risk of contamination, according to a study published in the journal “Food Research International”.
eat frozen foods
Freezing is a good way to preserve food, as it prevents premature spoilage. However, It must be taken into account that it can cause alterations in terms of texture and flavour.
As long as we freeze before cooking, the food retains its properties. However, there are some rules to apply to make freezing safe.
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