How does freezing affect food quality?
Freezing will not improve inferior foods. If the food is fresh, of top quality, and frozen using proper procedures, the effect on quality will be minimized as long as the food remains solidly frozen at a constant temperature at or below 0 degrees F. While freezing keeps many foods almost like fresh, certain changes occur. Water in foods form ice crystals which will break down the cell structure of some foods. This affects the texture and causes mushiness. It is more likely to happen when food is frozen slowly at temperatures between 15 and 25 degrees F., like in the freezer section of the refrigerator, or when food partially defrosts and then refreezes. Texture depends on water content, fragility, and treatment of the food before and during freezing. Blanching and using syrup help protect the texture of some foods. If frozen food is not stored in moisture-vapor-proof materials it may lose moisture and develop a dried surface condition, e.g. freezer burn. Oxygen in the air may cause fla
