7Hints & TipsFood StorageTo obtain the best performance from your freezer:Do not store warm food or evaporating liquid.Avoid buying frozen food if you cannot store itstraight away. The use of an insulated container isadvisable. When you arrive home, place the frozenfood in the freezer immediately.Do not push food together too much, try to allow airto circulate around each item.Do not store food uncovered.Ensure that food placed in the freezer is dated andlabelled and used in date order to ensure that foodis consumed at its best.Lean food keeps better and longer than fatty food,salt reduces the storage time.Wrap the food in polythene or aluminium freezingbags or foil so that they adhere to the food andprovide an airtight seal.Packaging which is swollen or has traces ofrefrozen water droplets on the pack could indicatethat the product has not been kept at a suitabletemperature and that it may have lost its originalquality. Partially thawed food must not be refrozen,it must be consumed within 24 hours. Neverexceed the storage times indicated by themanufacturer.Energy Saving AdviceDo not install the appliance close to sources ofheat, such as a boiler or radiator.Locate the appliance in a cool well ventilated roomand make sure that the air openings of theappliance are not obstructed.Avoid unnecessary frosting in the cabinet bypacking all foodstuffs into airtight packages beforeplacing them in the freezer.Food which is to be frozen (when cool) should beplaced in the fridge before being transferred to thefreezer.Try to avoid keeping the door open for long periodsor opening the door too frequently as warm air willenter the cabinet and cause the compressor toswitch on unnecessarily often.Ensure there are no obstructions preventing thedoor from closing properly.In the Event of a Power FailureIf there is a power failure during the storage offrozen foods, keep the door closed. If thetemperature within your freezer should rise, do notrefreeze the food without checking its condition.The following guidelines should assist you:Ice Cream: Once thawed should be discarded.Fruits & Vegetables: If soft should be cooked andused up.Breads & Cakes: Can be refrozen without danger.Shellfish: Should be refrigerated and used upquickly.Cooked Dishes: i.e. casseroles should berefrigerated and used up.Large Pieces of Meat: Can be refrozen providingthere are still ice crystals remaining within them.Small Joints: Should be cooked and can then berefrozen as cooked dishes.Chicken: Should also be cooked and refrozen as afresh dish.