1. Freezer cookery
Freezer is both convenient and time saving.
Ø Advantages of owning a freezer:
1.there are various sizes of freezers
2.freezing is simple and effective
3.foods can be eaten out of season
4.little effect on the flavor, color, appearance, and nutritive value
of most foods
5.whole meals, snacks, can be stored in a freezer
6.it is cheaper to buy foods in bulk
7.time can be saved on shopping
8.left over foods can be frozen
9.“emergency” foods can be stored
Ø Disadvantages of using a freezer
1.initial cost.
2.in order to work and run efficiently, the freezer should be well
stocked
3.there is a tendency to fill freezer with uneconomic frozen
food, cost
4.storage space may be limited
Types of freezer: - Chest freezer (top opening door)
- Upright freezer (front opening door)
- refrigerator /freezer. Not designed to
freeze food , only to store food which are
already frozen
Packaging materials and labels
Food that is frozen must be well packaged to prevent:
_ dehydration and oxidation: as cold air is very drying if
dehydration occurs, oxidation reaction will take place in food. Food
such as poultry or meat may develop “freezer burn”. Many materials
will prevent water from evaporation but not water vapor.
_ contamination by dirt, insects and moulds.
_ transfer of flavors from one food to another
There are 3 groups of packaging materials:
1) sheet wrapping materials ex: aluminium foil

2. 2) bags ex: paper and polythene bags
3) rigid containers ex: glass, plastic and aluminium
Labels:
its important to label food packs in the freezer, often become
unrecognizable once frozen.
Date in which food was frozen should be added.
Defrosting
It is important to defrost the freezer when the frost reaches a
thickness of 1 cm.
Using the freezer
Ø Basic rules:
1) freeze only fresh food
2) once harvested freeze quickly to avoid deterioration
3) handle and freeze the food hygienically
4) pack food in single or multiple portions according to family
needs
5) remove as much air as possible from the package
prevent oxidation
6) label food
7) do not allow freezers temperature to rise above - 18°C
8) NEVER refreeze foods which have been thawed, unless they
have been cooked.
Thawing frozen food
Some frozen foods, eg: vegetables, beef burgers, fish, can be
cooked from the frozen state. Some others (like cakes) should be
thawed to be able to cut them.
Some food MUST be thawed completely before cooking for
safety reasons!
As they may have bacteria (especially salmonella), and the
temperature in food will remain warm (not hot) when it is cooked
this will encourage bacterial growth and reproduction may cause
food poisoning dangerous to eat.
Most food should be thawed at room temperature it takes
several hours.
Once thawed, food SHOULD NOT be refrozen, as it takes to
microbial growth and food poisoning.