gekühlte

Gekühlte is a German term formed from the verb kühlen and used as an adjective meaning cooled or refrigerated. It describes items that have been kept at low temperatures to preserve quality, freshness, or safety. In everyday language and labeling, gekühlte modifies nouns such as Getränke (drinks), Lebensmittel (food), or Ware (goods).

In practical use, gekühlte items are associated with temperature-controlled handling. Typical refrigeration ranges fall around 0 to 4 °C (sometimes up to 5 °C) to slow microbial growth and maintain texture and taste. It is important to distinguish gekühlte from gefroren, which refers to frozen products kept at much lower temperatures. Labels may specify storage requirements, such as "gekühlt lagern" (store chilled) or "kühl bis" with a date.

Common examples include gekühlte Getränke (chilled beverages), gekühlte Snacks or gekühlte Lebensmittel in supermarkets, and gekühlte Fertiggerichte in catering. In commerce and menus, gekühlte is often used as a category descriptor to signal temperature-controlled suitability or serving conditions.

Linguistically, gekühlte represents the declined form of gekühlte as an attributive adjective in German grammar; its form changes with gender, number, and case of the noun it modifies. Related concepts in food and logistics include Kühlung (cooling), Kühlkette (cold chain), and Kühlschrank (refrigerator).