“It’s been quite an amazing period,” says Richard Harrow, CEO of the BFFF. Over the 12 months to 29th November, frozen food sales grew 13.8% in value and 11.5% in volume. The latest figures from Kantar and the British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF) revealed that frozen products were the star performers of grocery retail over 2020, outperforming fresh produce and every other food category in terms of value and volume percentage growth. New frozen food trendsįrozen meals weren’t a side-show success of the pandemic – they were the main event. The resurgence of the frozen meal shows that time-pressed shoppers are looking for simple meals that don’t compromise on taste: an area where the fine frozen food industry excels. “Consumers, initially through necessity, started trying products that they may have normally bought fresh, opening their eyes to an assortment of great products from raw ingredients to prepared solutions and lovely treats,” he continues. On finding the freezers, shoppers have found so much more than ice-cream and peas. “The pandemic kick-started a change in behaviour, which made people visit the freezers. “During the pandemic, people wanted to reduce the number of times they visited shops, but they still wanted the reassurance that they would have good quality, convenient solutions to hand,” explains Matt Whelan, MD of Fieldfare. In fact, for key workers, those who have been challenged with juggling work and homeschooling, or those who want to limit their trips to the shops, a newfound desire has emerged for frozen fruit, vegetables and meals. The rule to follow is therefore to read the labels and not add it when it is already contained in the food.The rise of the home chef has been a boon for the fine food sector, but the growing appetite for scratch cooking doesn’t mean that convenience is off the menu. Some frozen products may contain more salt than fresh ones. Freezing forms small ice crystals that become water once defrosted and, if they are refrozen, increase in volume and break cell membranes. Can you refreeze foods after defrosting?ĭefrosting and then refreezing a product is one of the things that should never be done and the reason is very simple: the quality is affected. It is also necessary to avoid products with a damp or frosted surface as they may have undergone thermal changes.
What must be done to avoid frozen food to deteriorate?įrozen foods easily face deterioration but there is a tip to prevent it from happening: the cold chain must not be interrupted. The freshness is affected by constant price changes depending on the season they are sold, while frozen foods are always sold at the same price. The truth, however, is completely different. Why do frozen foods cost less than fresh foods?įrozen foods almost always have a lower price than the fresh product and many people believe that this happens due to the lower quality. As for meat, however, it is preferable to consume it fresh because the low temperatures could deteriorate in the contained substances. When the fish is frozen, it keeps its proteins unchanged but it is depleted of Omega 3, especially when it comes to salmon and blue fish, even if the species without fats such as cod and squid are the exception, since they maintain their nutritional properties unchanged. The question that everyone is asking is: are frozen foods just like fresh vegetables? The answer is very simple: if they are frozen at most two days from the time they are picked, they maintain the same organoleptic and nutritional characteristics of fresh products and are therefore the best choice for those who do not have time to go to the supermarket every day. What is the difference compared to fresh vegetables?
0 kommentar(er)
