Chilled foods are great value offering consumers the choice of a wide range of safe, tasty and nutritious foods that are quick and easy to prepare. The range includes healthy salads and prepared fruit and vegetables as well as portion-controlled low fat foods for health conscious consumers and more indulgent foods for the occasional special treat.
They also provide convenience in buying, preparing and cooking food helping to reduce the amount of time and energy consumers would otherwise spend looking for/buying, washing and preparing the different ingredients that make up a meal. Attractive and innovative packaging also allows consumers to see exactly what they are buying.
UK chilled foods receive minimal processing. As temperature is the principle means of keeping the food fresh, food additives, such as preservatives, are rarely used.
Chilled foods use many different fresh ingredients in their recipes offering consumers a wider variety of choice than with some frozen and ambient foods where fresh ingredients such as fresh produce, are unsuitable for the preservation process.
Indeed, chilled foods compare very favourably with foods prepared in the home. Manufacturers aim to use ingredients and cooking methods that are found traditionally in a normal domestic kitchen. If additives are ever used, their presence is clearly marked on the label as required by current food legislation.
Chilled prepared foods also reduce waste by cutting down on the need for consumers to buy unnecessary or large amounts of ingredients (e.g. several different types of lettuce) which may only be used a bit at a time and which may then ultimately be wasted.
They also help reduce waste in the manufacturing process. Most packaged fresh and prepared foods have had the non-edible materials (e.g. peels, vegetable tops, bones etc) removed during preparation. These materials are used for animal feed or other purposes instead of going into domestic waste. Likewise, energy is saved by not having to transport this unwanted material through the distribution and retail chain to the consumer.
Chilled food manufacturers constantly adjust the supply chain in order to minimise waste. The move to 24 hour trading has also improved the flow of materials and ingredients thus helping to reduce waste during production.
