Understanding Frozen Food
We receive hundreds of calls from customers who are unsure of the safety of food stored in their commercial freezer. This stems from the fact that few people understand how freezing protects food. Here are answers to some of your commonly asked questions.
What Are Some Foods That Can Be Froze?
You can freeze any food, except for canned food or eggs. However, upon opening canned food, you may proceed to freeze them. While most foods can be placed in the freezer, the quality of food do deteriorate if placed in the freezer for long. Examples include cream sauce, lettuce and mayonnaise. Raw meat and poultry maintains their quality better than cooked meat when placed in the freezer because of the moisture lost during cooking.
How Safe is Frozen Food?
Placing foods in low temperatures slows down the movement of molecules; This results in microbes to enter a dormant state. This prevents the growth of microorganisms that causes food spoilage. As such, food that’s constantly stored at 0 °F will always be safe, though the quality of food do suffer when placed in the freezer for long periods.
Does Freezing Destroy Bacteria and Parasites?
Freezing to 0 °F causes microbes (molds, yeasts and bacteria) to become inactive in food. Once these foods have defrosted, these microbes can become active again and can still cause foodborne illnesses. Since microbes are unaffected when it if left in the freezer, you must handle thawed food as you would with perishables.
How do I Safely Thaw Frozen Food?
One should never leave food to thaw in the open space, these might make your food unsafe for consumption. There are 3 main ways to thaw your food – in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave. The safest way to defrost food items is by placing them in a refrigerator; However, it is important that you do plan ahead as the defrost process can take more than half a day to complete. Small food items can defrost overnight in the refrigerator, while bigger food items like whole turkeys can take a day or two to completely defrost.
For fast thawing of food, you could place the food item into a plastic bag and soak the bag in cold water. It is vital that the bag doesn’t leak, to ensure that bacteria from the air isn’t introduced into the food. After the defrosting process, cook the food immediately. Microwaving is another way to completely thaw frozen foods.
Does Freezing Stop the Deterioration of Food?
Enzymes, which are found in a wide variety of foods, can result in the deterioration in food quality. Freezing food only slows the enzymes activity that takes place and does not entirely stop its activity. Enzyme activity does not harm frozen meats or fish, but certain vegetables do need to undergo blanching to ensure that its quality do not deteriorate while in the freezer.
Looking for exceptional freezers for your business? Purchase top-notch commercial freezers from a reputable freezer product company; this way, you are guaranteed when it comes to durability.
