How safe are frozen foods?

It is a fact that the fast rhythms of modern everyday life do not leave us time to cook, at least on a daily basis, the food we desire. So, we have turned to the quick and easy solution, that of frozen foods.

But what does frozen food mean?

Freezing is a way to keep food fresh for a very long time. When food is frozen, the water in it turns into ice and it all becomes solid. Water usually freezes at 0 degrees Celsius, but food freezes around -4 degrees Celsius. Thus, when the temperature is lower or equal to -4 degrees Celsius, the food is in the freezing phase.

What happens to the nutrients in frozen foods?

Freezing does not affect the nutrients of the food. The only thing that can suffer a slight alteration is the taste of some foods, however, their vitamins and minerals are normally preserved. In fact, after relevant research, it was found that some phytonutrients, such as anthocyanins (flavonoids), can be significantly preserved during freezing. The only possibility of "degradation" of some nutrients seems to be related, not to refrigeration, but to blanching of fruits and vegetables, a process that precedes freezing.

Frozen food safety

Food can remain safe for a long time in the freezer, as the low temperatures prevent the growth of microbes. However, those microbes that are not "destroyed" may grow again during the defrosting phase of these foods. It is also the reason why we should be particularly careful in the way and time of defrosting the various foods that we have frozen. Also, if the food is "forcefully" defrosted, the ice crystals that have been created will melt quickly, thus losing the food's juices. In addition, freezing destroys all food parasites, such as hairworms, toxoplasma, etc. and the enzyme-chemical reactions that occur in food are also delayed.

Frozen food quality

The quality of frozen food depends on several factors. More specifically, it depends on their course in the cold chain, i.e. from the moment the product is frozen until the moment of consumption. During their freezing you should be especially careful with the following:

They should be very well packed

Do not come into direct contact with the cooling, as there is a possibility of dehydration of the food