Zone A: Cool area for dairy products, preserves and jam, salad dressings or sauces.
Zone B: Colder area for general food storage.
Zone C: Coldest area for meat, fish & poultry.
Zone D: Salad, fruit and vegetables.
1 Star -6°C: Ice cubes can be made and frozen food can be stored for a few days.
2 Star -12°C: Ice cubes can be made and frozen food can be stored for several weeks.
3 Star - 18°C: Ice cubes can be made and frozen food can be stored for several months.
4 Stars -18°C: Fresh food and home cooked foods can be frozen in this compartment and stored for several months. Some foods can be stored here for up to 1 year.
Follow "best before/Use by " guidelines for maximum storage time
Keep foods covered to retain moisture and prevent flavour/odour transfer. Plastic bags, aluminium foil and cling film are ideal.
Select chilled and frozen food last when shopping, transport in a cool bag and place in the appliance as soon as possible after arriving home
Allow hot food to cool down in covered containers before placing in an appliance, as doing so may warm up other food already in the product. Do not leave the doors open for longer than is necessary.
Do not use to store poisons, flammables or dangerous substances as your domestic product has been designed for the storage of edible food stuffs and medicines only
Always follow the food manufacturer’s instructions with regards to the storage times. The following information is given in guidance if no such instructions are available:
Dairy Produce
- Milk & Cream (3 days)
- Cheese (10 days)
- Eggs (15 days)
Meat & Fish
- Cooked pies (1 day)
- Offal (2 days)
- Minced meat (2 days)
- Fish (2 days)
- Uncooked meat (3 days)
- Cooked meat (3 days)
- Sausages (3 days)
- Bacon (10 days)
Fruit & Vegetables
- Cooked vegetables (4 days)
- Greens (5 days)
- Salads (5 days)
Fruit & Vegetables
Most types of fruit & vegetables freeze well, although some are not recommended for freezing:
- Bananas & Avocados (will turn black if frozen)
- Boiled potatoes (unless mashed)
- Raw celery (will lose crispness if frozen)
- Salad vegetables (will lose crispness if frozen)
- Raw whole tomatoes (will collapse if frozen)
Sauces, etc- Glazes (will turn runny if frozen)
- Cream (will separate if frozen)
- Yoghurt (will separate if frozen)
- Custard (will separate if frozen)
- Soft meringue (turns watery if frozen)
- Eggs (yolks and whites should be frozen separately)
Most types of fruit freeze well (also see "Food not suitable for freezing"), although some freeze best if prepared for storage in a particular way. For example, soft fruits are best frozen on open trays and then packed into rigid containers. Other fruits are best frozen in sugar layers or syrup. We suggest you refer to specialist freezer cookery books for details.
Most types of vegetables freeze well (also see "Food not suitable for freezing"), however vegetables that are cooked first usually freeze best. Most vegetables should be blanched and chilled before freezing. Unlike meats and fish, most vegetables can be cooked from frozen.
Storage Time Guidelines
- Onions (6 months)
- Cauliflower (6 months)
- Carrots (12 months)
- Beans (12 months)
- Sprouts (12 months)
- Peas (12 months)
- Spinach (12 months)
Ensure that your meat is in first class condition before freezing. All meat should be thoroughly defrosted before cooking / consumption.
Storage Time Guidelines
- Cured meat (1.5 months)
- Mince (1.5 months)
- Offal (2 months)
- Sausages (6 months)
- Pork (6 months)
- Beef (12 months)
- Lamb (12 months)
Fresh poultry should be frozen on day of purchase. Cooked poultry must be thoroughly cooled (10°C) before freezing. All poultry should be thoroughly defrosted before cooking / consumption.
Storage Time Guidelines
- Giblets (3 months)
- Duck (6 months)
- Goose (6 months)
- Game birds (6 months)
- Turkey (12 months)
- Chicken (12 months)
Fresh fish & seafood should be frozen on day of purchase. All fish & seafood should be thoroughly defrosted before cooking / consumption.
Storage Time Guidelines
- Scampi & prawns (1 month)
- Crabs & lobster (1 month)
- Trout, herring, other oily/smoked fish (3 months)
- Cod, similar white fish (6 months)