Problems with frozen foods

Frozen foods can cause food poisoning if they are not frozen soon enough or if they are not cooked soon enough after thawing. Food-poisoning organisms can grow in food if its temperature exceeds 45◦ to 50◦ F for only a few hours. If the food cooked before it is frozen, it should immediately be put in a refrigerator or freezer. Allowing warm food to cool at room temperature permits the growth of food-poisoning microbes that may survive the freezing process.

Foods should be thawed in a microwave oven or if such an oven is not available, in a refrigerator. Both methods prevent the growth of food-poisoning organisms. However, refrigerator thawing allows physical and chemical changes that reduce food quality.

To help prevent the loss of quality that occurs in vegetables as a result of slow thawing, processing firms package many kinds of vegetables in sealed plastic pouches. Consumers can thaw the vegetables rapidly and cook them - by transferring the unopened pouch from a freezer directly into boiling water. The tightly packed pouches also prevent freezer burn and the formation of package ice. Many frozen foods can be cooked in a microwave oven as soon as they are removed from the freezer.

Grammar:

Some verbs are followed by -ing and some are followed by to

Verbs usually followec by -ing:

admit fancy postpone

avoid finish risk

consider imagine stop

deny keep (on) suggest

enjoy mind

Verbs usually followed by to ... :

afford fail offer

agree forget plan

arrange hope promise

decide learn refuse

deserve manage threaten

Some verbs can be followed by -ing or to ... with a difference of meaning: remember

I remember doing something = I did it and I remembered to do something = I now I remember this. remembered that I had to do it, so I did it.

You remember doing something after you You remember to do something before you

have done it. do it.

I know I locked the door. I clearly D I remembered to lock the door, but I

remember locking it. forgot to shut the windows.

(= I locked it, and now I remember this) (= I remembered that I had to lock it,

□ He could remember driving along the and so I locked it)

road just before the accident, but he D Please remember to post the letter.

couldn't remember the accident itself. (= don't forget to post it)

I regret doing something = I did it and now I regret to say / to tell you / to inform you

I'm sorry about it: = I'm sorry that I have to say (etc.):

□ I now regret saying what I said. I □ (from a formal letter) We regret to

shouldn't have said it. inform you that we cannot offer you

□ It began to get cold and he regretted not the job.

wearing his coat.

go on

Go on doing something = continue with the Go on to do something = do or say

same thing: something new:

□ The president paused for a moment and □ After discussing the economy, the

then went on talking. president then went on to talk about

□ We need to change. We can't go on foreign policy.

living like this.

The following verbs can be followed by -ing or to ... : begin start continue intend bother

So you can say:

D It has started raining, or It has started to rain.

□ John intends buying a house, or John intends to buy ...

□ Don't bother locking the door, or Don't bother to lock

But normally we do not use -ing after -ing:

□ It's starting to rain, [not It's starting raining)