What comes to mind when we are talking about the food service industry? Some food types come to mind when we talk about the food industry. Such as Ambient, Chilled, and Frozen food. There are differences between all three types, from the storage space type to temperature. In the next 500 words, we’ll discuss everything about ambient, chilled, and frozen foods.
Ambient Food
Ambient Food, also called shelf-stable food, is a type of food that can be safely stored at room temperature in a closed container. It includes foods usually held in a refrigerator but processed so that they can be safely stored in a room or at ambient temperature.
According to MarketResearch.Com, “The ambient food market value is currently 239 billion and is expected to reach 361 billion by 2025”.
Chilled Food
Chilled food are foods that are kept at refrigeration temperature (0 – -5 °C or 33 °F to 42 °F or below). The main requirements for chilled food products are good quality and microbiological safety at the point of consumption.
According to Statista, “In the 52-week period ending December 26, 2020, a total of 14.48 billion British pounds was spent in the chilled prepared food market the in the United Kingdom (UK).”
Frozen Food
Frozen foods are pre-cooked foods or meals that are put together in a package and then frozen until used. They are becoming very famous these days because frozen meals are extremely convenient. These foods take less time to prepare, significantly reduce waste, and always come with proper nutritional information.
Examples:
| Ambient Foods | Chilled Foods | Frozen Foods |
| Pasta Rice Bread Cereals Canned fruit Canned fish and meat Sauces and condiments Biscuits and cakes Tea and coffee | Milk Cream Yoghurt Prepared Salad Soups and Sauces Baked goods | Peas Chips Ice-cream Fish fillets Sausages Plain chicken Fish fingers |
Temperature:
| Ambient | Frozen |
| Ambient food storage ranges between 15 to 25 degrees Celsius and 59 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit. Ambient means normal storage conditions or stored at room temperature. | To ensure the best-preserved flavour, texture, colour, and micronutrient content of the food the temperature should be set at 0°F |
Conclusion
Ambient food, Chilled food, and Frozen foods are important foods type in the food industry. Many Foodservice distributors in the UK deliver these types of food to the market. These food types hold much of the share of the market. But there are differences between them. The main difference is the temperature where they are stored. You can buy these products from the best foodservice distributor.
