Congelado

Congelado is an adjective used in Spanish and Portuguese to describe something that has been frozen or kept at low temperature so that its moisture becomes ice. It agrees with gender and number (congelado, congelada; congelados, congeladas) and can refer to foods, drinks, weather phenomena, or physical states resulting from freezing. The noun forms include congelación (Spanish) and congelamento (Portuguese).

Originates from the verb congelar (to freeze), from Latin gelare; the past participle congelado denotes a frozen state.

In commerce and cuisine, “congelados” or “alimentos congelados” designate products preserved by freezing, such as carne congelada or verduras congeladas. Freezing slows microbial growth and enzymatic reactions, extending shelf life, but does not kill all pathogens. Freezing quality depends on temperature, packaging, and duration.

For storage and safety, a temperature at or below -18°C (0°F) is recommended for long-term storage; avoid temperature fluctuations and repeated thawing and refreezing. Thawing should be done in the refrigerator, under cold water, or in a microwave, and once thawed, foods should be cooked promptly or consumed soon after.

Related terms include congelación (the process of freezing) and descongelar/descongelado (to thaw or thawed). The concept is widely used in domestic kitchens, food industry labeling, and scientific contexts to indicate items kept in a frozen state.