How to choose frozen foods and recognize the best and good-quality ones

To recognize a frozen product di good quality It's quite simple if you know what to look for on the label and when purchasing, pay attention to some details that can make a difference. From the temperature of the refrigerated counter, to the presence di pieces di ice cubes too large inside the package.

Index of topics

The label

Prima di When buying a frozen product, reading the label is important not only to understand the origin di What we're buying, but also to understand the ingredients and how it was processed. We avoid products containing margarine, hydrogenated fats, and oil. di seeds, harmful to our health, let's avoid glutamate di sodium (code E621) and the codes E100 and E199, which refer to flavourings and colourings. Instead, we choose products seasoned only with extra virgin olive oil di olive.

A short list

A good frozen food has a short and understandable list of ingredients. If you find many additives, artificial flavors or "fillers" (modified starches, unspecified fats), the quality tends to be lower.

The deadline

The product, even if frozen, will have a date indicated di expiry date after which it is best not to consume it and which must therefore be respected. Therefore, be careful to note it and also pay attention to the date di freezing. Better to choose the products frozen foods more di recent.

The temperature of the refrigerated counter

We also pay attention to the temperature of the refrigerated section. This should never exceed -18 °C. We should also be wary of products with frost or ice flakes on the packaging or liquids inside. These are all signs of improper storage, which could have suffered bacterial attack or organoleptic changes. Finally, packages and bags must always be intact and undamaged.

The ice in the package

A light frost is normal, but a lot of ice or large crystals inside the package indicate that the product has been thawed and refrozen or stored improperly. Avoid it entirely.

What to look for in frozen fish

If the fish is defrosted, meaning left to slowly defrost in the refrigerator, and sold at the fresh food counter, it must display a label listing the additives. Watch out for E451 , which is harmful because it hinders our absorption of minerals, and E452. Both additives belong to the class of polyphosphates, notorious for being once abundant in cured meats.

Choosing frozen foods and recognizing the best ones