Zanussi ZI 918/8 KA Frozen food storage, Thawing, Making ice cubes, Fresh food refrigeration

Frozen food storage

When first starting-up or after a period of use, before putting the products in the freezer compartment let the appliance run for at least two hours on the coldest setting, then turn the thermostat knob to the normal opertion position.

To obtain the best performance from this appliance, you should:

if large quantities of food are to be stored, remove all drawers and baskets from appliance and place food on cooling shelves.

Pay careful attention not to exceed load limit stated on the side of the upper section (where applicable). Do not exceed the storage period indicated by the manufacturer.

Finally, do not open the door frequently or leave it open longer than is absolutely necessary.

Important

Do not put carbonated liquids, (fizzy drinks etc.), in the freezer compartment.

Ice Iollies, if consumed immediately after removal from the freezer, can cause low temperature skin burns.

Do not remove items from the freezer if your hands are damp/wet, as this could cause skin abrasions or “frost/freezer burns”.

Thawing

Frozen food, prior to being used, can be thawed in the fridge or at room temperature depending on the time available. Small food items may even be cooked from frozen; in this case cooking will take longer.

Any frozen food which is allowed to thaw accidentally should either be eaten as soon as possible or thrown away. Alternatively, if the food is uncooked and has not been completely defrosted it can be cooked and then refrozen.

Meat, fish and fruit should be thawed in the refrigerator compartment and small pieces of meat can even be cooked while still frozen, but you must ensure that it is thoroughly cooked through.

Vegetables should be directly immersed in boiling water; ready-cooked dishes can be placed directly in the oven in their aluminium wrapping.

A microwave oven is particularly suitable for thawing any type of frozen or deep-frozen food: follow the oven instructions, particularly regarding the placement of aluminium wrapping or containers in the oven.

Defrosted cooked food must never be refrozen.

Making ice cubes

The appliance is provided with one or more trays for ice-cubes trays.

Fill the tray(s) 3/4 full to give the ice space to expand and place them in the freezer compartment.

To release the ice cubes simply give the tray a slight twist.

Do not use sharp or metallic instruments to remove the trays from the freezer.

Fresh food refrigeration

To obtain the best performance, do not store warm food or evaporating liquids in the refrigerator; do cover or wrap the food, particularly if it has a strong flavour.

Do not cover the shelves with any protective material, such as paper, cardboard or plastic, which may obstruct the air circulation through them.

To help you use your refrigerator correctly, here are some more useful hints:

Raw meat (beef, pork, lamb & chicken or poultry): wrap in polythene bags and place on top of the salad crispers.

Meat can only be stored safely in this way for one or two days at the most.

Fruit & vegetables: these should be thoroughly cleaned and placed in the bottom salad crispers.

Butter & cheese: these should be placed in special airtight containers or wrapped in aluminium foil or polythene bags to exclude as much air as possible.

Milk bottles: these should have a cap and should be stored in the bottle rack on the door.

Normal Operating Sounds

•You may hear faint gurgling or bubbling sounds when the refrigerant is pumped through the coils or tubing at the rear, to the cooling plate/evaporator or to the fixed freezer shelves.

•When the compressor is on, the refrigerant is being pumped round, and you will hear a whirring sound or pulsating noise from the compressor.

•A thermostat controls the compressor, and you will hear a faint ’click’ when the thermostat cuts in and out.

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