How to Buy Frozen Food Correctly?

Frozen food products all have expiration dates, however, during the storage period, these products can still undergo spoilage. So how can you ensure that you are choosing the best and tastiest options for your family?

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1. Understand the storage period and storage temperature

How long can frozen food be stored? Based on the expiration date printed on the product packaging, frozen meat can be stored for 3 months at a temperature of -18ºC. This means that as long as the food is continuously stored at a temperature of -18ºC after leaving the factory, there should be no quality issues within 3 months.

However, if the storage temperature cannot be maintained at -18ºC or below after leaving the factory, the food may deteriorate in quality within 3 months. Under low temperatures, microorganisms cannot grow, but the flavor and taste can gradually deteriorate, fats can oxidize, and vitamins can degrade. Therefore, the expiration date printed on the packaging for 3 months does not guarantee the quality of the food within that timeframe.

In addition, in reality, when customers buy frozen food and bring it home, the ambient temperature can affect the food to some extent, even if it is not completely thawed.

Furthermore, the ice compartments in regular refrigerators used in households typically reach a temperature of around -8ºC. Studies have shown that when food is stored at temperatures between -1ºC and -8ºC, many vitamins degrade faster compared to temperatures between 0ºC and 4ºC. Therefore, when choosing frozen food, it is important to check the production date and storage period, and it is best to choose products with the most recent production date, ideally within 1 month.

2. Observe the condition of the product carefully
Frozen meat, fish, shrimp, and other frozen foods are usually of similar quality, with meat fibers or pieces separated. When packaged, there should be no water and no freezing or icing phenomenon. If the product is stored at unstable temperatures, fluctuating between high and low within a certain period of time, water molecules may bind together and form ice crystals, causing the food inside to stick together. This is when the product starts to deteriorate. If the storage is continued, some foods may crack, and foods with fatty acids may undergo fermentation, resulting in a sour smell.
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