gefrorene

Gefrorene is a German adjective derived from the verb frieren, meaning frozen. It describes objects that have undergone the freezing process. The attributive form gefrorene is used before plural or feminine nouns, while gefrorenes is used before neuter singular nouns. Examples: gefrorene Beeren (frozen berries), gefrorenes Gemüse (frozen vegetables). In predicative position one would say Die Beeren sind gefroren.

Applications and processing: Freezing preserves food and other perishables by slowing biological activity and chemical reactions. Common methods include blast freezing and individually quick freezing (IQF), which minimizes clumping by freezing items separately. Typical storage temperatures are −18°C (0 °F) or lower, enabling months of shelf life depending on product. Freezing can alter texture due to ice crystal formation; proper packaging reduces moisture loss and freezer burn.

Quality and safety: Freezing stops microbial growth but does not kill all pathogens; thawing and handling are critical for safety. Thawing methods (refrigerator, cold water, or microwave) affect texture and quality. Re-freezing thawed products may degrade quality and safety, though small amounts frozen again can be safe if kept cold and cooked thoroughly.

See also: Frozen foods, Freezer burn, Food preservation.