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* To retain colour, taste and vitamin C, vegetables
should be blanched after they have been
trimmed and washed. To blanch: bring a large
saucepan of water to the boil, immerse the veg-
etables in the fast boiling water for 2-3 minutes,
depending on variety. Remove and plunge into
ice-cold water to cool quickly. Drain and pack
ready for freezing.
* Lean meat freezes better than fatty meat and
can be stored for considerably longer.
* To prevent chops, steaks, cutlets or rolled meat
from freezing together in solid blocks when
packed, separate with a sheet of plastic film
suitable for freezing.
* Do not season fresh foods or blanched vegeta-
bles before freezing. Only season cooked food
lightly before freezing, but care should be taken
as the taste of some spices alters when frozen.
* Do not place hot foods or drinks in the freezer.
This causes already frozen food to thaw and
increases the energy consumption considerably.
Allow hot foods and drinks to cool down before
placing them in the freezer.
Packing
Unsuitable packing material
* Wrapping paper
* Grease proof paper
* Cellophane
* Bin bags
* Plastic carrier bags
Suitable packing material
* Plastic film suitable for freezing
* Freezer bag
* Aluminium foil
* Freezer containers
Freeze Food in portions
Expel as much air as possible from bags etc. before
sealing them to prevent freezer -burn on food.
Close the packaging tightly
* Rubber bands
* Plastic clips
* String or bag ties
* Freezer tape
Freezer bags may also be sealed using home heat
sealing kits.
Make a note of the contents and the date of freez-
ing on the packaging.
Frozen Food Storage Time
The shelf life of frozen food depends on its quality
before freezing and on the storage temperature.
We recommend a temperature of - 18
o
C or below.
Product Months
Beef 6 - 8
Veal 3 - 6
Variety Meats 1 - 2
Pork 3 - 6
Poultry 6 - 8
Eggs 3 - 6
Fish 3 - 6
Vegetables 10 - 12
Fruit 10 - 12
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 the refrigerator
* In a steam oven
It is particularly important to observe food hygiene
rules when defrosting poultry. Do not use the liquid
from defrosting. Pour it away and wash the con-
tainer it was in, the sink and your hands thoroughly
with antibacterial detergent to avoid salmonella poi-
soning.
Fruit should be defrosted at room temperature in its
packaging 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 veg-
etables.
Defrosting The Refrigerator
The refrigerator automatically defrosts while the
compressor is at a standstill. However, in some
instances (e.g. over-loading the refrigerator cham-
ber), the refrigerator may not defrost completely
before the compressor restarts. This causes frost to
form on the rear wall of the chamber. If it occurs,
manual defrosting may be required unless repairs
are needed to the automatic defrost function.
DEFROSTING, CLEANING & MAINTENANCE
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