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What is the correct temperature for frozen, fridge food?

Author

Emma Horne

Published Feb 27, 2026

What is the correct temperature for frozen, fridge food?

What are the safe food storage temperatures in a fridge? Let’s start with what is the correct temperature for frozen food storage. Ideally frozen food should be stored at -18˚C or colder. If you are a retailer of frozen products the food labelled as ‘Quick frozen’ must be stored at -18˚C or colder but can be displayed at -12˚C or colder.

Is it safe to put frozen food in the fridge?

If you are a retailer of frozen products the food labelled as ‘Quick frozen’ must be stored at -18˚C or colder but can be displayed at -12˚C or colder. What is a safe food storage fridge temperature? Remember, the law refers to the temperature of the food, not the temperature setting of the fridge.

Is it necessary to store food at the proper temperature?

Here are some recommended temperature Care requirements for storing food: must be taken to ensure that food is stored at the proper temperature. If not, quality and safety will suffer. Food that was received frozen should be stored at temperatures that will keep it frozen.

What’s the best temperature to store fresh seafood?

Fresh seafood should be packed in ice, stored at −1°C to 2°C (30°C to 34°F) and used as soon as possible. Store raw products on the lower shelves of the refrigerator, below cooked products. Frozen foods should be stored at –18°C (0°F) or lower.

What temperature should frozen foods should be stored at?

Foods may be preserved for several months by freezing. Long-term frozen storage requires a constant temperature of −18 °C (0 °F) or less. To be used, many cooked foods that have been previously frozen require defrosting prior to consumption.

What is the correct temperature for storing frozen food?

Freezer Facts Food that is properly frozen and cooked is safe. Food that is properly handled and stored in the freezer at 0° F (-18° C) will remain safe. Freezing does not reduce nutrients. There is little change in a food’s protein value during freezing. Freezer burn does not mean food is unsafe. Refrigerator/freezer thermometers should be monitored.

How long is frozen food safe in your freezer?

Food can’t live forever in the freezer – meat should be used within three months and bread only lasts three to six months. Any longer and the food will still be safe but the colour, flavour and texture will start to deteriorate.

What is the safe operating temperature for a fridge?

The optimal temperature range for the refrigerator is 34 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit to keep food safe and unfrozen. If your thermometer reading is outside of this range after the temperature test, adjust the temperature settings.

How long do frozen foods last in cold storage?

Storage life can be extended significantly as storage temperatures become colder. For most products, a temperature of 0 °F (-18 °C) or below is required if storage is expected to exceed 6 months. The following table gives the relative stability at 0 °F (-18 °C) for several types of frozen foods. WFLO Commodity Storage Manual