April 22, 2024 | 10:36 pm PT
I usually freeze cooked meals to economize and for the convenience of later use. Are there any well being issues related to this follow? (Hold, 35, Hanoi)
Reply:
The act of freezing basically slows down spoilage by stopping the expansion of microorganisms, thereby making meals secure. It’s a handy strategy for these with a busy way of life, enabling the preparation of a spread of tasty and wholesome meals with out spending an excessive amount of time.
All kinds of cooked objects, akin to meats, fish, and greens, are appropriate for freezing. It is essential to chill ready meals to fridge temperature inside two hours of cooking, or inside one hour if the meals are uncovered to temperature above 32 levels Celsius throughout preparation.
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Frozen greens. Illustration photograph by Pixabay |
Completely different meals have various beneficial freezing durations. As an illustration, the suggested freezing intervals for a number of widespread ready meals are as follows:
– Pork: Two to a few months
– Poultry: 4 months
– Fish: Two to 4 months
– Soups and stews: Two to a few months
To take care of freshness and security, meals have to be frozen correctly. Make sure the freezer temperature is ready to -18 levels Celsius or beneath. Meals must be securely wrapped, and scorching meals shouldn’t be positioned within the freezer instantly as it may well elevate the inner temperature, doubtlessly impacting different saved objects. Enable meals to chill totally previous to freezing.
Think about separating the meals into smaller servings for simpler defrosting later, and solely take away the required quantity from the freezer when wanted.
It is vital to maintain raw meals away from cooked meals to keep away from cross-contamination within the freezer. As soon as defrosted, meals must be consumed solely to cut back the danger of foodborne sickness.
Dr. Ho Mai Huong
Vietnam Institute of Utilized Drugs