What is a freshness zone in a refrigerator?

The refrigerator has long become a high-tech kitchen appliance, the functions of which are indispensable in everyday life. Refrigeration equipment, according to its standards, has two working climatic zones: a refrigeration chamber with a temperature from +3 to +8 degrees, designed for storing perishable foods and a freezer for freezing fish, meat, semi-finished products, vegetables and fruits for the winter period.

Freshness zone is a compartment in the refrigerator that is designed for storing fresh fruits and vegetables, and contains a temperature from 0 to +1 degrees Celsius. This environment negatively affects the development of harmful bacteria in food products and preserves the maximum of beneficial substances.

Technical progress keeps pace with the times, and professionals from the German company Liebherr are closely engaged in developing a new zone in the refrigeration equipment system. In order to optimize and improve the existing technology, they made adjustments to its internal part.

The new product was presented to the public in 1996 and was called Biofresh, or freshness zone (Fresh Zone). This term meant a separate compartment in the refrigerator, where the temperature met the above requirements. A third or fourth part of the device is usually allocated for it in the form of a shelf, container, box or box.

Why do you need a freshness zone?

Many people believe that they can store food in a regular refrigerator without paying much attention to the different zones. But if you analyze the nuances, weigh all the pros and cons, then the conclusions suggest themselves. So when is a fresh zone necessary:

• A new family member has appeared in the family - a small child who needs fresh bait. The temperature of this sector is ideal for children's menus.
• If you are a fan of “quiet hunting” and your trip to the forest was successful, you can put some of the collected mushrooms in the refrigerator, because doing all the work at the same time is difficult both mentally and physically.
• You are a healthy eater, and most of your diet consists of fresh greens, vegetables and other foods.
• The dairy products on your table are exclusively homemade. The shelf life is inferior to store-bought ones, but with a fresh zone, the formation of lactic acid bacteria will be delayed for some time.
• You are a fan of big purchases, so you always take extra meat or fish. In order not to freeze everything, some can be used within a few days by storing them in a separate sector.
• “Tender” preparations require special care and careful treatment before a big celebration, because not only the quality of the banquet, but also the health of the guests will depend on this.
• You often put off cooking “for later,” so you have to defrost and freeze meat several times.
• You are on a diet and you can satisfy your desire to eat only with fresh products, which have recently been in the freshness zone.

From the above we can conclude that pleasure of this kind is becoming not just a luxury, but an everyday necessity.

Which models include

When choosing a refrigerator, you can immediately understand whether there is a fresh zone there. There are no questions left when you see the brands “Fresh Box”, “Zero-N-Fresh”, “Vita”, “Natura” and the like. The cost of such products exceeds the average price category. It’s hard to say anything about the specific amount, but basically it differs from conventional refrigerator models by 20–30%.

The well-known company Samsung also offers several options for its products: Cool Select Zone is a refrigerator with a built-in box and adjustable temperature, Chilled Room and Fresh Room are more functional and popular devices on the world market.

LG specialists presented three analogues of refrigeration devices: Opti Fresh Zone (a box that maintains temperature conditions throughout the entire time from -1 to +1 degrees); Opti-Temp Zone (built-in container, the temperature in which is independently regulated depending on needs), Zero Zone (designed specifically for vegetables and fruits, formed as a separate box with a lid).

Dry and wet freshness zones and their differences

Food products require storage conditions with different percentages of humidity and temperature conditions.

Thus, products of natural and plant origin require humidified air, while meat products require drier air. Because of this, two new zones were developed:

• Wet zone of freshness - temperature from 0 to +3 °C with humidity up to 95%. It will keep berries, herbs, vegetables, and mushrooms in their original form for more than a week, and root vegetables for more than a month. Whereas in a simple refrigerator, rotting processes begin to appear already on the third day.
• Dry zone of freshness — temperature can be set from -1 to 0 °C, humidity 50%.Used for storing cheese, sausages, meat and fish products, and seafood delicacies. In this sector, products can be kept for about a week.

Most often, refrigerators are sold with one of the fresh zones. But if you really want, you can purchase a refrigeration device with two equipped containers, and this will be an excellent solution.

What is a zero zone and why is it needed?

The zero zone is the place in the refrigerator where the temperature is as close as possible to 0 °C. An example of this would be store displays with sausages, where all the products are chilled, but there is no freezing. At its core, the zero zone is still that zone of freshness, but there are still some differences. According to the design features of the refrigerator, the zero compartment can be placed either in the center or in the lower or upper part.

The zero chamber is more versatile and suitable for any perishable products, because it has an independent cooling system. Often a thin crust of snow freezes on food due to low temperatures. To avoid this, just put what you need in a plastic bag. This usually happens at high humidity.

How to care for a refrigerator with a fresh zone

There is no special secret to caring for a refrigerator of this type, because it, like any equipment, requires careful treatment. Before starting work, you should thoroughly study the operating rules, features of the robot and general characteristics.

So that after turning it on there is no unnecessary noise, the refrigeration equipment must be placed correctly, on a flat surface. Before wet cleaning, be sure to unplug the refrigerator and follow simple safety rules.

A common problem for housewives is a bad smell inside. This is a consequence of improper storage of products or failure to comply with basic rules of cleanliness and order. If the refrigerator is not designed for a certain temperature, in no case should you set it on the regulator, because this threatens problems with the engine or complete combustion.

In the event of a breakdown, it is highly undesirable to begin repairs on your own without special knowledge. The interior of the refrigerator has a complex structure that requires professional inspection.