> wrote in message
ups.com...
>
> that's -20C, which is -4F. standard for refrigerator freezers
> here seems to be -6F, from the manufacturer.
> my long term storage (non self-defrosting) freezer is -10 to
> -12F... and i could get it colder, but what's the point?
> lee

Thanks everyone

Most over here run at -18C, not many at -20 fwiw.

Does this mean theres no need to heat fresh but not cooked items
before freesing?


NT



It depends. For your salsa, you don't need to heat it before you freeze it.
The same goes for fruit or tomatoes.

OTOH, if you were going to freeze vegetables, you'd want to blanch them to
stop the enzyme action before freezing. The enzymes in fresh food will make
it want to keep 'ripening' and will make vegetables have an 'old' taste and
texture. To blanch, you would heat the vegetable in boiling water for
several minutes (time varies with different veggies) and then cool as fast
as possible in an ice water bath.

This is why around here we all keep harping on the Ball Blue Book (BBB). It
has all the current up-to-date methods with the times listed and lots of
recipes for safe preserving success.

'Course that's only good advice if you live in the US, and I guess you don't
if your freezer runs in C*. ...hmm... Check out the info at
http://www.uga.edu-nchfp-index and see if that can help answer your
questions. The University of Georgia has gotten the grants to do the
*official* testing on home food preserving.

Deb
--
In Oregon, the pacific northWET. NWF habitat #32964