7
Freezing fresh food
The 4-star compartment (
) is suitable for
long term storage of commercially frozen food (i.e.
for 3 months, unless otherwise stated by the
manufacturer), and for freezing fresh food.
Under normal circumstances, to freeze fresh foods
it is not necessary to change the setting of the
thermostat knob with respect to the normal running
position.
However, for a quicker freezing operation, turn the
thermostat knob to the coldest setting, but
remember that, in this condition, the refrigerating
compartment temperature might drop below 0
°
C. If
this occurs reset thermostat knob to a warmer
setting.
To help you make the most of the freezing process,
here are some important hints:
Place the food to be frozen on the shelf.
The maximum quantity of food which can be frozen
in 24 hours is shown on the rating plate.
Only freeze top quality, fresh and thoroughly
cleaned foodstuffs.
Prepare the fresh food in small portions to enable it
to be rapidly and completely frozen and to make it
possible subsequently to thaw only the quantity
required at the time.
Wrap up the food in aluminium foil or polythene and
make sure that the packages are airtight.
It is advisable to show on the single food packet the
freezing-in date to enable you to keep tab of the
storage time.
Do not allow fresh, unfrozen food to touch food
which is already frozen, thus avoiding a rise in
temperature of the latter.
Important
Do not put carbonated liquids (fizzy drinks, etc.) in
the freezing compartment as they may burst.
Water ices, if consumed immediately after removal
from the freezing compartment, can possibly cause
the skin to be freeze burnt.
Remember that, once thawed, frozen food
deteriorates rapidly.
On the rear side of the door you will find a list of
foods followed by a number. These numbers indicate
the maximum period of time for which the food in
question may be conserved (in months).
Storage of frozen food
To obtain the best performance from this appliance,
we strongly recommend that you make sure that
the commercially frozen foodstuffs were adequately
stored by the retailer and, furthermore, be sure
that these frozen foodstuffs are transferred from
the foodstore to the freezer in the shortest possible
time (a temperature increase of the frozen food
could shorten its storage period).
It is also advisable not to exceed the storage period
indicated by the producer of the food.
Finally, do not open the door frequently or leave it
open longer than absolutely necessary.
If there is a power failure when food is in the
freezer, do not open the door of the freezing
compartment.
The frozen food will not be affected if the power cut
is of short duration (a temperature increase of the
frozen food could shorten its safe storage period),
otherwise it is recommended that the food should be
used within a very short time.
Thawing
Deep-frozen or frozen food, prior to being used, can
be thawed in the refrigerator compartment or at
room temperature, depending on the time available
for this operation.
Small pieces may even be cooked still frozen,
directly from the freezer: in this case, cooking will
take longer.
Defrosting
Frost is automatically eliminated from the
evaporator of the refrigerator compartment every
time the motor compressor stops, during normal
use. The defrost water drains out through a trough
into a special container on the back of the appliance
where it evaporates.
Periodically clean the defrosting water drainage hole
of the refrigerator, using the special cleaner already
inserted into the discharge hole (Fig. 8).
Fig. 8
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