Fast Versus Slow Freezing of Poultry and Consumption Tips

The main difference between flash freezing and slow freezing of poultry lies in the size of the ice crystals (frozen liquid) present in the meat. In flash freezing, small ice crystals form both inside and outside the muscle cells that make up the meat, whereas in slow freezing, large ice crystals form only outside the muscle cells. With quick-freezing, because of the small crystals, the cells are not damaged or torn, which preserves the vitamins, minerals, and nutritional value of the chicken for a long time. The simplest test in the kitchen is to compare frozen chicken from international companies with frozen chicken from a live poultry shop that was frozen in a home freezer; you will see a stream of blood in the home-frozen chicken, and the chicken meat will be dry (not tender). It is customary when buying live chickens, having them slaughtered, and cleaned at live poultry shops for the head of the household to purchase more than ten chickens—for example—which are then frozen in the home freezer for use as needed. The point is: If the head of the household wishes to consume freshly slaughtered live chicken daily, there is no objection to this, but I recommend the following: 1- You must select the chickens yourself when purchasing them from the live poultry shop. 2- You must observe the slaughtering process and ensure that it is the same chicken you selected to prevent the fraud that sometimes occurs. 3- You must ensure the chicken is cleaned thoroughly and place each chicken in a plastic bag. 4- You must bring a cooler with ice to transport the chicken home, especially in the summer. 5- I strongly recommend consuming the slaughtered chicken on the same day and not freezing it at home. Thankfully, Kuwaiti markets offer an abundance of fresh and locally frozen chicken produced by the major poultry companies in our country and from other Arab nations, all of which are inspected daily. May you enjoy good health and well-being.