Nomad Foods, the maker of brands such as Birds Eye, Findus and iglo, has announced its commitment to the 'Move to -15°C' initiative, an industry-wide coalition that is dedicated to cutting carbon emissions in frozen food supply chains.
The group undertook a study, alongside food science and technology organisation Campden BRI, to determine whether an increase in the storage temperatures of frozen food can lead to carbon emissions reduction and cost savings, while having no impact on product safety or quality.
Move to -15°C
The findings of the 18-month study back up the Move to -15°C manifesto, that storing frozen food at -15°C, instead of the industry standard -18°C (zero degrees Fahrenheit), can reduce freezer energy consumption by 10% to 11%, without any noticeable impact on the safety, texture, taste or nutritional value of a product.
The group's study included nine savoury frozen products: poultry, coated fish, natural fish, vegetables, plant-based foods, and pizza. Four temperatures (ranging from -18°C to -9°C) were tested across eight key areas, including food safety, texture, nutrition, energy use, and packaging impact.
Results after eighteen months showed no significant change in products stored at -15°C compared to -18°C, except for those past their Best Before Date, where a drop in Vitamin C for some vegetable products was observed.
'Critical Role'
“We already know that frozen food compares very well against alternative preservation methods in terms of carbon footprint," commented Nomad Foods CEO Stéfan Descheemaeker. "The latest results of our study with Campden BRI underlines the critical role frozen food has in reducing the impact of the wider food industry on climate change.
“However, we can’t do this alone, which is why we are calling on other frozen food manufacturers to join us and the Move to -15°C coalition to ensure the full breadth of products within the frozen category are tested at higher temperatures."
Previously, in 2022, Nomad Foods published a life cycle analysis of its leading frozen food products, which showed that frozen food performs very well against alternatives in terms of carbon footprint, partly due to much lower levels of food waste.
“As we celebrate 100 years since flash freezing was invented by Clarence Birdseye, I think he would be very proud to see the innovations being driven in the frozen food category to tackle the world’s greatest challenge of climate change," Descheemaeker added.
