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Freezing of foods.--The rate of freezing of foods depends upon a number of factors, such as the method employed, the temperature, circulation of air or refrigerant, size and shape of package, kind of food, etc. Sharp freezing usually refers to freezing in air with only natural air circulation or at best with electric fans. The temperature is usually --10°F (--23.3°C) or lower, but may vary from 5 to -- 20°F (--15 to --29°C), and freezing may take from 3 to 72 hours. This sometimes is termed slow freezing to contrast it to quick freezing, in which the food is frozen in a relatively short time. Quick freezing is defined variously, but, in general, implies a freezing time of 30 minutes or less, and usually the freezing of small packages or units of food. Quick freezing is accomplished by one of the three general methods: (1) by direct immersion of the food or the packaged food in a refrigerant, as is done in the freezing of fish in brine or of berries in special sirups; (2) by indirect contact with the refrigerant, where the food or package is in contact with the passage through which the refrigerant at 0 to -- 50°F (--17.8 to --45.6°C) flows; or (3) by air-blast freezing, where frigid air at 0 to --30°F (--17.8 to --34.4°C) is blown across the materials being frozen. (page 116) At page 111, reference is made to the three stages involved in low-temperature storage, namely, cooling, chilling and freezing. We quote the relevant passage: