Nomad Foods: Raising standard freezer temperature limit to cut energy use will not impact food safety

13 Mar 2024 --- Nomad Foods — holding a portfolio of frozen foods including Birds Eye, Findus, iglo, Ledo and Frikom — has released the twelve-month results of its study, which the company claims may change the temperature at which it store frozen products, leading to “significant” carbon emission reductions and cost savings.

The twelve month results, completed with food science and technology organization Campden BRI, build on a successful six month pilot that Nomad Foods announced last summer.

It further validates the notion that storing frozen food at -15°C, instead of the industry standard -18°C (zero degrees Fahrenheit), can reduce freezer energy consumption by 10–11% without any noticeable impact on product safety, texture, taste or nutritional value.

“For 100 years frozen food has played a critical role in bringing great tasting, nutritious, convenient and affordable food to consumers, while minimizing waste,” remarks Stéfan Descheemaeker, CEO at Nomad Foods.

“Over the next 100 years, as pressure intensifies to address the global food systems contribution to climate change, I am confident that frozen food can be a key part of the solution.”

Increasing frozen food temperature by 3°C could improve food chain sustainability.Nomad Foods says it is now in talks with key industry players, aiming to form an alliance to “drive further progress.” The business is also looking at its own manufacturing sites to see where it could introduce -15oC.

Typical household staples evaluated
Nine savory frozen products were included in the study: poultry, coated fish, natural fish, vegetables, plant-based foods and pizza. Four temperatures (ranging from -18oC up to -9oC) and eight key areas including, food safety, texture, nutrition, energy use and packaging impact, were tested.

Results showed no significant change to the products at -15°C, albeit for -12°C and -9°C there was a drop in vitamin C for vegetable products and some changes in sensory performance.

The findings come as the frozen food industry celebrates 100 years since flash-freezing was first invented by Clarence Birdseye in 1924. The study supports a European analysis released last December, which suggested increasing frozen food temperature by 3°C could improve food chain sustainability.

“Frozen food already compares very well against alternatives in terms of carbon footprint. Our study shows there is potential to further reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions when storing or transporting frozen food, with just a simple temperature change,” Descheemaeker says.

“We are working to establish an industry alliance to put these findings into action and, hopefully in time, deliver widespread change. Clarence Birdseye created a new industry and we are very proud to keep improving on his inspiring legacy.”

UK industry applauds news
Frozen foods have seen a resurgence in recent years, growing in line with the cost of living crisis tied with inflation. The British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF) has hailed the new Nomad Foods study as a “significant step forward” for the industry.

“As we celebrate the 100th year of frozen food, we must recognize our moral obligation to improve sustainable operations and challenge ourselves to see what is possible. We know that warming up the storage temperature of frozen food by just a few degrees could significantly impact carbon emissions, reduce energy consumption and improve our bottom lines,” says Rupert Ashby, CEO of the British Frozen Food Federation.

Ashby adds that such a “small change” could be an “exciting step toward a more sustainable and environmentally friendly industry.”

“Frozen food reduces waste, preserves nutrition and needs no additives,” he adds. “It’s already a great option for foodservice and retail sectors, as well as for consumers at home.”

Emma Hanby, associate director at Campden BRI, similarly commended Nomad Foods for leading the study “for the benefit of the whole frozen food sector.”

In addition to investigating temperature changes, Nomad Foods published an industry leading life cycle analysis of its leading frozen food products in 2022.

The report drew upon 15,000 data points sourced from Nomad Foods, its suppliers and several retailers and found that for the 22 frozen products assessed, most had an “equal or lower” carbon footprint than similar products using other preservation methods, such as fresh or chilled. In only three cases was the frozen product footprint higher.

By Benjamin Ferrer