Freezing is one of the most effective solutions to keep products fresh for a longer period of time.
However, there are some products that should not be put in the freezer under any circumstances.
Why should I freeze my food?
Freezing is a simple way of preserving food and keeping it safe even for a long time. What’s more, freezing preserves the taste, smell and even the nutritional value of the food. It is not a time-consuming process and does not require any additional preservatives
Although in most cases freezing preserves food for a longer period of time, there are some foods that should not be frozen. What are those foods?
A list of foods that should not be frozen!
Fresh vegetables with high water content
Many types of fresh vegetables can look rotten when thawed. These include, most notably, cucumbers or radishes. These vegetables may not be fit for consumption when removed from the freezer. Freezing is similar for some herbs.
Other vegetables, such as tomatoes, but also zucchini, should not be frozen, because after taking them out of the freezer they do not taste the same as fresh ones. However, you shouldn’t worry about this because you can still use them in soups or sauces.
Eggs
Boiled egg is also negatively affected by freezing. Once defrosted, it loses its texture and becomes hard and rubbery. Also, you shouldn’t freeze a raw egg in its shell because it will crack and spill out.
However, with fresh eggs, there is a way. You can freeze them using containers. For best results, separate the whites from the yolks before freezing.
Once frozen and thawed products
For reasons of bacterial viability, you should not re-freeze foods that have already been thawed, especially meat and ice cream. Freezing will not kill the microorganisms that are in the food. When we thaw food, microorganisms multiply quickly
Therefore, to avoid harming your health, you should not freeze foods again. There is one exception, thawed product can be re-frozen after heat treatment.
Cooked rice, pasta, potatoes
These products lose their flavor immediately after thawing. In addition, their texture changes: potatoes become dry, while pasta softens
Mayonnaise and cream
After defrosting they lose their uniform texture and delaminate. The process of freezing milk, yoghurt or cream based on cream or butter is similar. Salads or other dishes with mayonnaise should not be frozen either.
Fruits with high water content
Ice crystals that appear during freezing of fruits such as oranges, grapefruits, grapes and watermelon damage their structures. As a result, the fruit loses its firmness. On the other hand, bananas, kiwis and avocados turn dark and unappetizing when defrosted. However, they are still possible to eat and use, e.g. in cocktails
Dishes with the addition of gelatin
Because jelly becomes cloudy and watery during the freezing process, it is not advisable to freeze it.
Soft cheeses
Fluffiness and intensity of taste are characteristic of cream cheese or ricotta. However, when frozen they lose their texture and delaminate. Also, freezing hard yellow cheeses is not advisable because they become dried out and therefore crumble.
Main photo: Bozhin Karaivanov/unsplash.com
