Time Limits for Freezing
I am having a difficult time finding a standard for Non Blast Frozen not RTE products. I make a pot pie with a raw dough that we freeze. I have found lots of support , and regulation as to the temperature but am having a hard time finding support documentation to indicate how long it should take to get to that temperature. Does any one have any resources that specifically talk about shelf life extension, and time limits for freezing products?
Thank you!
Is the filling fully cooked when prepared? What temperature are you assembling at?
And are you meat or poultry?
We have both a lamb and a poultry pie. the filling is fully cooked, and at a refrigerated 34-40 F when it does into the pie.
I am having a difficult time finding a standard for Non Blast Frozen not RTE products. I make a pot pie with a raw dough that we freeze. I have found lots of support , and regulation as to the temperature but am having a hard time finding support documentation to indicate how long it should take to get to that temperature. Does any one have any resources that specifically talk about shelf life extension, and time limits for freezing products?
Thank you!
Hi alannaknead,
afaik, currently, there is no generally applicable answer to yr freezing time question. For example the UK quick frozen foodstuff regs (2007) contain the statement -
The food must be frozen and have crossed the zone of maximum crystallisation as rapidly as possible for that type of product.
UK quickfrozenregs,2007.pdf 54.58KB 50 downloads
Similar wordings can be seen in EC directives.
The reasons for this lack of specificity are discussed in this aging (ca 1980) but probably still relevant fao publication -
fish freezing rate-time.pdf 811.51KB 32 downloads
(I daresay you may find some [arbitrary] time requirements similar to the quote in above attachment if you search).
Note that a related query to yr own which does have possible answers is -
What is the maximum time that a product may be exposed to surrounding environment from a microbial safety POV ? This involves a cumulative calculation post cooking for which the freezer is the final step.