Not all foods that are frozen are called "frozen foods!
In fact, there are a limited number of foods that can be called "frozen foods.

Four major conditions are defined.

Only those that meet these requirements can be labeled as "frozen food. Depending on the category of food, such as the type of food and whether it needs to be heated before eating, the laws and standards that must be observed in (3) also differ.

Foods frozen in your home freezer are not called "frozen foods" but "frozen products.
This is because they do not meet the requirements for "frozen food," such as (2) being quick-frozen, etc.

Quick freezing, as the name implies, is the freezing of food to a lower temperature range in a shorter time.
Specifically, it is a freezing method that allows food to pass through the maximum ice crystal formation temperature range of -1°C to -5°C, where the moisture in the food turns into ice crystals, in a short period of time. Specialized machines are required to quick-freeze food products.

What are the advantages of quick freezing?

Foods have moisture inside. By using a specialized machine to quickly pass through the temperature zone where moisture freezes, we can inhibit the growth of ice crystals and prevent the destruction of food cells as much as possible.

As a result, freshness, flavor, and texture can be maintained, and the taste and quality of the food before freezing can be reproduced after defosting.

Year after year, domestic consumption of frozen foods continues to increase.
According to the 2022 survey, the annual consumption per capita has reached an all-time high.

That amount is a whopping...23.9 kg!
That means that each person consumes about 24 kg of frozen food at home and in restaurants.

In particular, consumption of seafood such as fish and shrimp, fried foods including croquettes and fried foods, and cooked foods such as rice, noodles, and hamburgers continues to rise steadily.

In addition, the variety of frozen foods has increased dramatically in recent years. In addition to staple foods and side dishes, there are also bento, fruits, desserts, and more. Thanks to the corporate efforts of manufacturers, frozen foods are becoming more readily available than ever before.

Frozen foods are evolving in response to ever-changing lifestyles and the booms of the moment.
Examples include those with a nutritional balance such as low-sodium products in response to the growing health consciousness, and spicy flavored products due to the Korean boom.

And the trend these days is clearly toward "individual meals!

For some time, products have been marketed to meet the need for "individual meals" as households have become smaller and single-person households have become more common. Furthermore, after 2020, opportunities to eat out decreased due to the COVID-19. In addition, lifestyles have changed dramatically with the increase in working from home. As the timing and location of meals, as well as taste and menu preferences, became more diverse, a food culture in which each individual is free to eat what they want and what they like has become increasingly widespread.

In response to these changes, demand for "individual meals" in frozen foods has increased more than ever.

There is an increasing number of products that are highly satisfying, such as one-dish style products that offer a staple meal, main dish, and side dishes in a single serving, and products with rich nutritional value that include ingredients that contain vegetables and protein.

In line with the "individual meal" frozen food trend, Nichirei Foods launched "chilled Chinese noodles" in the summer of 2022. This is an unprecedented dish that can be microwaved and served cold.
Part2 Is "chilled Chinese noodles" made in a microwave oven really cold? We tested it with a thermo camera.