Freezing of fresh foods
To fast-freeze foods when the appliance has not been in use, switch on the freezer and let it run on the fast-freeze setting for at least three hours before putting the food to be frozen in the compartment. If the appliance is already in operation, it should run on the fast-freeze setting for at least 24 hours before the food is put in the freezer. Once the food has been placed in the freezer, the freezing operation can be considered to be complete 24 hours later. Once freezing is complete, the freezer must be reset for normal storage use. Food to be frozen must be placed in the top compartment. The maximum amount of food which is freezable in 24 hours is 16 kg. To help you get the best out of the freezing process, here are a few hints: Freeze only good-quality, fresh and well-cleaned foods. Split them into small portions to speed up freezing and to avoid having to thaw more food than you require. It is in fact important to remember that once food has thawed out, it deteriorates fast. Another point to remember is that lean foods keep better and longer than fatty foods. Salt too reduces storage time. Wrap food in foil or polythene �lm, ensuring that the wrapping adheres closely to the food and is well sealed. In this way, by avoiding contact with air, the colour �avour and nutritional value of the food remains intact. Never freeze a higher quantity of food than the maximum amount shown on the rating plate of the appliance. During the freezing process, do not add further food for freezing and do not open the freezer door. Food for freezing should not be placed in contact with already frozen food. This will avoid the temperature of already frozen food from rising. Never put �zzy drinks in the freezer as they might well burst. In addition, never put hot foods or liquids in the freezer compartment and take care not to �ll recipients up to the brim if they are covered with a lid. It is a good idea to mark the packs � or the cards on the sliding drawers if your model has them � with the date on which foods were frozen so that you can keep a check on storage periods. If accidental thawing occurs � due to a power cut for example � food must be used up very quickly or else cooked immediately and refrozen. If, however, the power failure is relatively brief (from6 to 8 hours) and the freezer compartment is packed full, frozen food will not suffer any damage. The inner door of the freezer compartment shows pictures of different types of food followed by a
�gure. These �gures indicate the maximum storage time, in months, for each type of food. Details of food being stored, can also be written in pencil on a card located in a special holder in the inner door.
Storage of commercially frozen food
To get the best out of your freezer, in the case of storage of commercially frozen food you should ensure that: the products have been correctly stored by the retailer; there is only a very short time between when you purchase the products and when you put them in the freezer; you do not store products for longer than the time speci�ed by the food manufacturer. In addition, if the freezer has been out of use for some time, before putting the products in the compartment let the freezer run for at least two hours on the fast-freeze (SUPER) setting. After this, reset the freezer for normal storage use. Avoid opening the door too frequently and when you do open it, leave it open only for as long as is strictly necessary. A word of warning about ice lollies: they should not be eaten straight out of the freezer as this might cause cold burns. If there happens to be a power failure do not open the freezer door. If the freezer is completely full, frozen products will not be affected. Otherwise they should be used up very quickly.
Thawing
Before being used, deep-frozen and frozen food can be thawed out either in the refrigerator or at room temperature, depending on the time available for this operation. Small pieces of food, such as hamburgers, chips, and �sh �ngers, for example, can be cooked straight out of the freezer, without any intermediate thawing operation. Clearly, cooking time will be marginally longer than in the case of thawed food.
Ice cube trays
The freezer is provided with one or more ice cube trays. These trays should be �lled with drinking water and then placed in the freezer compartment. Do not use metal tools to remove the trays when they are stuck-frozen inside the compartment.
