There are several ways to store food. From freezer paper, wax paper, parchment paper, zip locks to aluminum foil. Each have their own applications and advantages. Let’s take a look at freezer paper and what it is.
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What is Freezer paper used for?
As the name suggests, freezer paper is often used to wrap food items and store them in the freezer of the refrigerator. It is coated with plastic on one side and it is difficult to tear easily. While wrapping the food, the plastic comes in contact with the food item directly, and hence it is imperative for the manufacturers to use food-grade plastic paper.
The plain side forms the outer cover. Since the outer side is not coated with plastic paper, you need not use a marker pen in case you need to label your food items.
Freezer paper is used to store food items especially cut meats, steaks, bacon, chicken sausages, etc. Since it is a thick paper with waterproof plastic or wax coating on one side, it retains the moisture of the food items. You can conveniently wrap the food item in the freezer paper and place it in your freezer. It will not pick up the smell of other food items the quality of nutrition will remain intact. It will prevent the meat item from sticking to the bottom of the freezer which might be difficult to clean later. It also safeguards the food from sticking or other items like a tub of ice cream kept in the freezer.
When you take out the piece of bacon, it will be fresh and juicy as the moisture will be intact inside the freezer paper. The plastic coating safeguards food items from becoming dry and parched.
If you are doing a DIY project in art and craft, you can iron the freezer paper at the back and use it for stencils. Even for cutting shapes for patchworks, it is quite an ideal paper.
Is freezer paper the same as parchment paper?
Parchment paper has a thinner gauge than freezer paper and there is no plastic coating applied to it. Some manufacturers treat parchment paper with silicone to make it non-stick. Hence, both parchment paper and freezer paper have their respective uses in our kitchen.
This paper is primarily used for baking and when we insert the bowl inside an oven to bake a cake. We grease it with a little oil and then place a layer of parchment paper before pouring the dough. It is also known as baking paper or bakery paper in the U.S.A.
Parchment paper is heat-resistant and hence does not allow the cake to burn from the sides and the bottom inside the oven.
What is wax paper? When do we use it?
There is a coating of wax that is applied on wax paper to make it waterproof. It has a coating on both sides. Since there is a layer of wax on this paper, it should not be used in any type of oven as it will melt and mix with the food particles.
Wax paper is used mostly for storing foods like wrapping cookies, snack items which often catch moisture and become soggy. In medieval times, purified beeswax was used to create wax paper. In the modern days, synthetic paraffin wax is used for the same.
Wax paper is also used for stitching and knitting. Many fashion brands use it for making labels, sticking tags, printing fabric, and creating stencils for painting.
What is aluminum foil? Why do we use it?
Now since we are discussing various types of papers used in the kitchen and even in the sewing room, let’s get to understand all types of papers used in daily life. We often use aluminum foil to keep the food hot. Hence, Indian bread, sausages, momos, etc. are often wrapped in aluminum foil.
If you have eaten drums of heaven, the chicken legs are often wrapped in aluminum foil to safeguard the hands of the eater. It also looks good on the plate due to the dash of the silver color. We all know that aluminum is a good conductor of heat and electricity, Hence electrical wirings are often made of this metal.
Aluminum also hinders the growth of bacteria unlike if the food is wrapped in a cloth towel. Cloth when becomes moist invites bacteria and other micro-organisms. It resists corrosion, unlike iron and copper which corrode when they come in contact with oxygen. Hence it is the safest metal to wrap food items.
Lately, people have come up with aluminum plastic wraps that can hold watery items like soups and Indian curries. It cannot be torn with bare hands easily and is completely waterproof. It keeps the soup hot for a few hours. However, food packed in aluminum pouches should be consumed soon as it does not allow the heat to seep out. Hence the hot food gets spoilt faster.
What is a zip pouch?
You must have put a sandwich in a zip pouch and packed it as a lunch for your son or daughter quite often. Zip pouches are convenient to use and can be opened and closed as per requirements. Your child can open the pouch and eat half of the sandwich and keep the rest for later.
It saves the time and energy to wash lunch boxes every day for working professionals.
Conclusion
Wow, while packing your lunch, did you think about so many types of papers we use in our kitchens on a regular basis. All of us who work in the kitchen might not know each paper by its proper name, or how is it manufactured, however, we know how to use them.
Source
https://www.thekitchn.com/what-is-freezer-paper-211401
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_paper
