Chilled food

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Chilled food or chilled food is the term for industrially or commercially prepared food and dishes from the refrigerated shelf. They are vacuum-packed or welded in protective gas . Chilled food belongs to the ready-to-eat food category and, after England and France, is becoming increasingly popular in German retail. In contrast to unrefrigerated fresh produce, refrigerated food has the advantage of mostly longer shelf life , labor savings and reduced microbial risk.

The range of chilled foods is very extensive. Chilled food can be divided into around 20 product groups. The items range from ready-made (fruit) salads, cleaned vegetables, marinated meat, hot dogs, pizza or fresh pasta with ready-made sauces to yogurt desserts.

In contrast to frozen food or canned food , refrigerated food only has a relatively short shelf life of several days to a few weeks, as storage at plus temperatures (approx. +6 ° C) does not stop natural spoilage. The vitamin and nutrient content is better preserved with other preservation methods , especially when frozen .