Frozen food 339605 219955553 2008-06-17T16:53:03Z Jack Bauer00 6089518 /* See also */ [[Image:Superstorewinkler4.JPG|right|250px|thumb|A frozen processed foods aisle at a [[supermarket]]]] '''Frozen food''' is food preserved by the process of [[freezing]]. Freezing food is a common method of [[food preservation]] which slows both food [[Decomposition|decay]] and, by turning [[water]] to [[ice]], makes it unavailable for [[bacterium|bacteria]]l growth and slows down most [[chemical reaction]]s. ==Process== Freezing only slows the deterioration of food and while it may stop the growth of micro-organisms, it does not necessarily kill them. Many [[enzyme]] reactions are only slowed by freezing. Therefore it is common to stop enzyme activity before freezing, either by [[blanching]] or by adding chemicals. Foods may be preserved for several months by freezing. Long-term freezing requires a constant temperature of -18 degrees Celsius (0 degrees Fahrenheit) or less. Some [[freezer]]s cannot achieve such a low temperature. The time food can be kept in the freezer is reduced considerably if the temperature in a freezer fluctuates. Fluctuations could occur by a small gap in the freezer door or adding a large amount of unfrozen food. ==Quick-freezing== American inventor [[Clarence Birdseye]], who developed the quick-freezing process of food preservation in the early 20th century, is considered the father of the frozen-food industry. The [[food industry]] uses a technique called [[flash freezing]], an application of [[supercooling]], to quickly freeze food items. In this case, water contained inside the food is subjected to temperatures well below its [[melting point|melting/freezing point]] (273 K or 0°C). This causes the water inside the foods to freeze very quickly. ==Traditional and other use== Many [[Arctic]] communities would preserve food in holes or [[larder]]s dug into the ice. There is a tradition in [[Scandinavia]] of preserving [[fish (food)|fish]] and especially [[herring]]s in this way. Cold stores provide large-volume, long-term storage for strategic food stocks held in case of national emergency in many countries. [[Seed]]s are stored in freezers at −18 °C or below in [[seedbank]]s. The seeds are stored as a source for planting in case seed reserves elsewhere should be destroyed. The seeds stored may be those of [[food crop]]s or [[biodiversity|rare species]]. ==See also== *[[Shelf life]] *[http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/hgic3523.htm Recommended times for refrigerator and freezer food storage] [[Category:Food preservation]] [[ca:Congelació d'aliments]] [[de:Tiefkühlkost]] [[es:Congelación (alimentos)]] [[eo:Frostigita manĝaĵo]] [[is:Fryst matvæli]] [[it:Surgelazione]] [[lb:Déifkillkascht]] [[ja:冷凍食品]] [[zh:急凍食品]] [[pt:Alimento congelado]]