Storing food in the freezer is an easy and safe way to keep it fresh for later use. However, outside air hitting frozen food can cause it to freeze, making the food unsightly and unappetizing. Frostbite is relatively easy to spot, but there are some signs that you can immediately see when you check the frozen state of food. And there are a number of simple solutions to help slow down the freezing process and keep stored food fresh for as long as possible.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Recognizing Frozen Mutung
Step 1. Check the food packaging
Slight openings in food packaging or tears in the plastic indicate that the food has been exposed to cold outside air, and is more likely to freeze.
Step 2. Check the food
Open the package and check if the food has dry areas, is discolored, or has ice crystals. Food with any of these qualities, is highly likely to be freezer burned.
- The color change in frozen food varies, depending on the type of food. But frozen mutton will tend to appear white in poultry (chicken), grayish brown in meat (steak), white in vegetables, and form ice crystals in ice cream.
- Wrinkled splinter in meat or vegetables is also an indication that the food has frozen.
Step 3. Sniff the food
Sniff the food, do you smell the unpleasant plastic and stale smell of the freezer? When fat in food comes into contact with air from outside the package and oxidizes, it creates the unpleasant freezer odor and odor we associate with freezing.
Step 4. Check the date
Foods purchased at convenience stores are usually labeled with the storage date. Check labels and see if the food has been stored beyond the stated date. If it's past its storage date or has formed ice crystals, it's likely that the food has frozen.
Step 5. Handle frozen food
Frozen food is still safe for consumption. You can save most of the edible portion of your food by removing the frozen portion, then processing and eating the rest as usual.
- If the frozen meat has spread, it's best to just throw the food away. Although the food is still safe to eat, it will taste bland or even strange.
- Ice cream that has been frozen will form ice crystals on the surface, which are actually still edible, although not very appetizing.
Part 2 of 2: Preventing Freezing
Step 1. Seal your food tightly
Use special plastic freezer bags that can be sealed to store food, and pack frozen food in layers to prevent water from evaporating from it. Packaged foods purchased at convenience stores can usually last up to 1-2 months in the freezer. But if you plan to store it longer than that, pack food more tightly.
Store food in airtight containers (soup, broth, fruit) or vacuum packaging (fish, meat)
Step 2. Repack the opened food
Once frozen packaged food from the store is opened, the moisture seal on the package will be broken and it will no longer retain the moisture of the frozen food. Because the food is no longer protected, so it needs to be repackaged.
For example, put all opened bags of vegetables in a special freezer bag, or remove frozen fish sticks from an opened box and store them in a special freezer storage container. It is an efficient way to package and store frozen food that has been opened
Step 3. Check the temperature of the freezer
The freezer temperature must be set to a minimum of -18 degrees Celsius or less.
Temperatures higher than -18 degrees Celsius, or inconsistent temperatures (due to the opening and closing of the freezer door) increase the risk of freezing
Step 4. Do not store frozen food for too long
All frozen foods should be eaten within the time frame recommended on the package label.
- Label your frozen food with the date of use and eat it within the recommended timeframe.
- Remember: frozen food is still safe to eat, but it has deteriorated in quality.
Step 5. Soak with ice
Ice soaking is an old way to preserve food. Soak raw food in water and allow the layer of water to freeze to form an ice blanket on the food. Then soak the iced food again in the water and let the water freeze into a second layer of ice. This immersion will only be completed after the formation of a thick enough layer of ice that will protect the food from exposure to outside air.
- Fish are often submerged in ice for preservation. Other raw foods that can be frozen this way are chicken and other meats.
- Soaking with ice will also help save the cost of buying plastic packaging.
Tips
- Wrap food in special freezer paper or store in special freezer bags to prevent freezing.
- Frozen food will not taste good, but it will still be edible. Frostbite just means the area of the food has lost a lot of moisture.
