Papers are not just for documentation or educational purposes. There are several things you can use papers for and one of them is food service. Right from heating, to storage, to serving and to delivery, you would need papers for one of these, if not all.
Papers used for foodservice are not just any kind of paper. There are quite a number of papers that are manufactured for food preparation and service. These papers are numerous, used for different purposes in foodservice and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
As said earlier, there are a lot of papers that can be used for food preparation and service, but many users make the mistake of using these papers interchangeably. It is expedient to know that each of these papers is of different makeup.
Hence, their vulnerabilities to elements such as heat or cold are quite different, and the wrong exposure can endanger the health of the consumers or cause the papers to perform below expectation. Therefore, understanding what each of the papers is used for is essential.
Two of these numerous papers for food preparation and service are freezer and parchment papers. These two are often mistaken to be the same when, in fact, they are very different and designed to serve different purposes.
What is freezer paper?
A freezer paper is a greaseproof freezer with wax coating on one side. This paper is thick and looks just like a regular paper, but on a closer look, one would notice a layer of polyethylene coating on one side of the paper.
Freezer papers are thick and look just like parchment paper except that they have coatings on them.
What is a parchment paper?
A parchment paper, on the other hand, is a cellulose-based, dense and thin paper that has no coating on either side. Sheets of paper pulp are soaked in sulphuric acid and made to dissolve partially. The result is a very stable material with high density that can resist heat.
Freezer paper versus parchment paper: uses and benefits
The difference between freezer paper and parchment paper is not just the coating; there is a vast difference in their applications also.
A freezer paper is used to wrap meat that needs to be frozen. Although there are few ways, you can wrap your meat before freezing, using a freezer paper will, however, give you the best result.
The essence of wrapping meat before freezing is to trap in the natural moisture in the meat while sealing air out.
A freezer paper does not only seal in the meat’s moisture, but it also keeps air out. This is one of the reasons why it is more effective than other wrapping materials like a plastic bag, foil, etc.
Sealing in the meat’s natural moisture and keeping air out sustain the freshness of your meat and prevents it from being dried out by the time you bring it out of the freezer after some weeks.
The coating on a freezer paper locks out air and locks in moisture while keeping your meat fresh for as long as 12 months.
A parchment paper, on the other hand, is ideal for heating foods. This paper is designed in such a way that it can withstand heat.
Heating food with a parchment paper is very safe as it does not contain any coating that might melt and be released into your food in the process of heating, baking or roasting.
Parchment paper can be used to heat, cook, serve foods, line baking pans and cover foods before microwaving. With this paper, the need to grease sheet pans is eliminated. It has a nonstick surface, thereby preventing smoke which affects the taste in the oven.
A freezer paper or parchment paper, which is better?
None beats the other. They both have different uses and specializations; hence, use each paper for the purpose it is designed for. Parchment paper is not ideal for freezing foods because it lacks coating; your food might suffer freezer burn if you use it.
Likewise, freezer paper should not be used for heating as this might cause chemical contamination of your food.
Parchment paper is not ideal for freezing foods because it lacks coating; your food might suffer freezer burn if you use it. Likewise, freezer paper should not be used for heating as this might cause chemical contamination of your food.
You should now have a clear understanding of parchment paper vs freezer paper, the uses of each paper and the benefits you get from each. besides, it will be your guide in making the right choice.