Chilled Food

Chilled foods are foods which are cooled to a temperature above their freezing point and which need to be maintained at that temperature to preserve quality. In 1990, the Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST) has defined chilled food as "perishable foods which, to extend the time during which they remain wholesome, are kept within specified ranges of temperature above - 1 °C".

Chilled food can be designed to be ready to eat, to be reheated or to be cooked. The main categories of chilled foods are dairy products (70 % ), meat products (15 % - excluding raw meat, poultry and fish), ready meals (9 %), pizzas (5 %.) and prepared salads (1 %).

Benefits of chilled food:

• conveneice

• snacking 

• healthy eating

• variety and choice

•  taste

• competition 

• reduce protein denaturation

• extended quality of fish

• correct chilling temperature could extend shelf life of fruit and vegetables

It is reported that for 40 % of eating occasions, convenience is the most important factor.  Convenience is a specific need of the cash-rich time-poor consumer, working women, single-parent and single-person households with limited time available for home cooking.