To keep your food fresher for longer, the best way is to make sure your freezer is at the right temperature,whilst retaining your frozen goods correctly. We’ve put together this handy guide to help you store your food safely.

Why does the temperature matter for a freezer?

1. Wards off the microbes and retains the freshness of the food

Freezing food stops bacteria and micro-organisms, keeping your food fresher for longer. Nutrients are locked in the food, which makes food preserved at peak quality. When the temperature is too warm, the growth of harmful bacteria and micro-organisms will spoil your food and cause illness if consumed, while freshness and nutrients are both lost.

2. Avoid freezer burn

If you hasn’t been kept food at the right temperature and fully protected,freezer burn can be another trouble for you. This can happen if the package is not sealed and the product is compressed in the freezer before frosting.

Although freezer burned foods will not negatively impact your health if consumed, but you may not like it. Freezer burn can dry out food, making it hard and leathery. It's possible to cut up food with frostbite, but in a bad case, you may need to discard the whole thing.

3. Prevent huge power consumption

Setting the freezer temperature too low can have a negative impact, mainly on your electricity bill.

The Ideal Freezer Temperature?

Food manufacturers recommend -18 °C as the ideal temperature for frozen foods.

Contrary to popular belief, frozen foods will not kill most bacteria, but will prevent any more from growing.

When stored at 0 °F, food is safe for an indefinite period of time, but the quality deteriorates over time. This is why most items have a maximum recommended freezing time.

If the freezer temperature is above 0°F (-18°C), you cannot trust that the food has been safely stored. In the event of a power outage, most freezers are able to maintain a properly cold temperature for up to 48 hours, as long as the door remains closed.

If the freezer door is opened repeatedly, or if it has been open for more than 48 hours, the freezer temperature climbs above 0°F and no longer keeps your food safely frozen.

For this reason, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that all frozen foods be stored at 0°F or lower. This ensures that food remains safe while in the freezer and does not allow any bacteria to multiply or grow.