Freezing: it’s all about the packaging
Freezing is really a very easy process – open the door of the freezer, place the items you want to freeze inside, then close the door. But it’s not quite so easy if you still want to enjoy your food at its finest once it’s defrosted. Read this article to find out what you should look out for when choosing the packaging to freeze items in.
What should you look out for when choosing the packaging to freeze items in?
The packaging must…
1. be food-safe. The “LE mark” or “glass fork symbol” represents food safety.
2. be cold-resistant and must not become brittle or porous, even at low temperatures.
3. be heat-resistant and dishwasher-safe if you want to reuse the packaging.
4. be air-tight and have protection against the penetration of oxygen, moisture or aromas.
5. be completely odourless and tasteless.
6. be resistant to fats, acids and alkaline solutions.
7. be tear-proof but not too rigid.
8. be customized to fit the size of the frozen goods.
9. be suitable for particular defrosting methods such as boiling water, the microwave or the heat of the oven.
10. have the right size and shape. This is because if the packaging is flat, the cold can penetrate quickly through to the centre of the packaging’s content.
Food-safe glass storage jars are best suited for freezing.
Standard cardboard boxes, wrapping paper, cling film, etc. are not suitable as packaging material as they do not meet the stated criteria.
If food is inadequately packaged or not packaged at all, this leads to what is known as freezer burn at temperatures below 0° Celsius. The moisture escapes from the food and settles as ice on the colder parts within the freezer. This escape of moisture makes the frozen food tough, dry and therefore worthless to the human body. So make sure your frozen food has appropriate packaging. That’s because it’s the only way you can enjoy the quality of freshness to the full even after months of storage.
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