Methodology for preparing and evaluating frozen meals from the cold area at Havana Catering Base Business Unit

Abstract

The study's objective was to develop a methodology for preparing and evaluating frozen meals from the cold area at the Havana Catering Base Business Unit. Services with adequate conditions for freezing storage and subsequent commercialization were selected. Freezing did not yield positive results due to the defrosting time of the juice. Among the five dishes suitable for freezing were a snack, a cold dish, a cold cuts appetizer, a sandwich, and a vegetable appetizer. The sensory evaluation of the products was carried out by a sensory evaluation committee composed of the center's staff. The cold dish underwent rapid freezing and microbiological and sensory quality assessments. The stability of the dish was maintained for 30 days, as determined by the deterioration of its sensory quality. A methodology integrated the procedures for preparing and evaluating frozen meals from the cold area, including storage conditions, sampling time, number of samples, microbiological analysis, sensory evaluation methodology, and defrosting conditions.