Food freezing fundamentals: A comprehensive guide to what belongs in the freezer and what does not
Anna Schmidt
2026-03-23
4 min. read
Food freezing fundamentals: A comprehensive guide to what belongs in the freezer and what does not
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While the modern kitchen would seem incomplete without refrigeration appliances, their widespread use spans only a few decades of human history. It was not until the 20th century that the benefits of temperature-controlled food storage were fully recognized, and the first domestic refrigerator equipped with a freezer compartment did not enter the market until 1939. Today, the practice of extending product shelf life through deep-freezing has become a standard procedure in both household and industrial food preservation. Nevertheless, many consumers remain unaware that certain food categories exhibit poor tolerance to cryogenic treatment—freezing such items may result in irreversible textural degradation, nutritional depletion, or compromise of organoleptic properties including flavor and aroma. Acquiring a thorough understanding of proper freezing protocols is therefore essential to avoid common pitfalls and to fully leverage the advantages of this preservation technique.
It's freezing
Food product freezing refers to any technological process of completely or partially converting the water contained in a product into ice whose type of crystal (size and shape) depends on the freezing rate and the type of raw material and has a significant effect on the efficiency of the process. Fast freezing is the most advantageous, where a large number of small ice crystals are formed. Such structures are small enough not to damage the size of the frozen minor and cause major changes in the product after freezing. Freezing also causes the formation of large crystal in the spaces between the product's crystal and the crystal, which in turn can lead to a large amount of contact between the products' crystal formations and the melting process.
Products that are better left unfrozen
Creams (corn, budding, mayonnaise) and dressings for salads, soft cheeses (ricotta, country cheese, cream cheese), yellow cheeses, milk, yogurt, certain vegetables (especially cucumbers, tomatoes, salads), fruits (e.g. grapefruit, apples, lemons, lemon, orange, peaches, grapes), cooked potatoes, rice, pasta, eggs in shell and cooked products, pre-molded, carbonated beverages, freshly squeezed fruit, caviar, salted lettuce, hot desserts, products containing gelatin.
Is that why not all products can be frozen?
The purpose of freezing is to extend the shelf life of foods, while maintaining their original nutritional value to the greatest extent possible. Unfortunately, some products under the influence of low temperatures also lose their flavour, consistency and nutrient values. After freezing, they do not return to their original form and their quality is drastically reduced. There are large leaks of juice with which the product loses its basic nutritive value (e.g. a large part of the product's nutrient value).