Michigan
State University Extension
Preserving
Food Safely - 01600508
10/13/97
Freeze fruits and vegetables as soon as they are packaged
and sealed. Freeze at 0 degrees Fahrenheit or below.
Put no more unfrozen food into a home freezer than will
freeze within 24 hours. Usually this will be about 2 or 3
pounds of food to each cubic foot of its capacity.
Overloading slows down the rate of freezing, and foods that
freeze too slowly may lose quality. For quickest
freezing, place packages against freezing plates or coils
and leave a little space between packages so air can
circulate freely.
After freezing, packages may be stored close together.
Store them at 0 degrees Fahrenheit or below. At higher
temperatures, foods lose quality much faster. Most fruits
and vegetables maintain high quality for 8 to 12 months at 0
or below; citrus fruits and citrus juices, for 4 to 6
months. Unsweetened fruits lose quality faster than those
packed in sugar or syrup. Longer storage will not make
foods unfit for use, but may impair quality.
It's a good idea to post a list of frozen foods near the
freezer and keep it up to date. List foods as you put them
in freezer, with date; check foods off list as you remove
them.
