Why Frozen Food Deserves a Fresh Look: Rickard Gillblad Explains How Freezing Reduces Global Food Waste

How modern freezing technology preserves freshness, nutrition, and sustainability to cut down on global food waste.

(Eduardo Soares)

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For decades, frozen food has carried a stigma, often viewed as cheap, tasteless, unhealthy, or artificial. Rickard Gillblad, CEO of BonCulina says, “Freezing preserves food in a way that can maintain its quality over time.”

Gillblad, whose company develops packaging and ready-meal systems for global food producers, has spent years studying both the science and public perception of frozen food. He notes that much of the negative stigma arises from misunderstandings about the effects of freezing. “When food is cooled below minus 18 degrees Celsius, molecular motion slows down to a crawl,” he says.

Many consumers assume frozen food has a shelf life of about a year, often due to concerns about spoilage. Gillblad notes that this timeframe is influenced more by logistical considerations than by the food itself. He says, “Tracking and guaranteeing a consistently frozen state becomes complicated after that period, not because the food suddenly deteriorates.”

That distinction, he argues, reveals how deeply perception drives behavior. He says, “Perceptions of frozen food can strongly influence consumer behavior, with many people associating frozen with lower quality, even though the actual freshness can vary depending on storage and handling.”

Gillblad points out that the negative perception of frozen meals can be traced back to the 1950s, when ‘TV dinners’ first appeared in the U.S. He says, “These early meals prioritized convenience over nutritional content, often being high in starch and fat while low in other nutrients.”

Over time, that legacy shaped generations of consumers to equate frozen with low-quality. “But the freezing method itself was never the issue,” Gillblad stresses. “It was the choice of ingredients.”

Today, technology allows producers to use high-quality ingredients and freeze them in a way that preserves taste, texture, and nutrition. “You can take a premium meal, say, salmon with mashed potatoes and asparagus, and freeze it properly,” he says. “Two weeks later, it’s often fresher than the same meal kept chilled in a refrigerator with a modified atmosphere.”

He explains that “chilled” food continues to age, even under controlled oxygen levels. “Fresh doesn’t mean untouched,” Gillblad says. “The moment a product is harvested or cooked, it begins to degrade. Freezing slows that process.”

He also emphasizes the environmental advantage of freezing. “Nearly a third of all food produced globally is wasted,” he notes. “Freezing drastically reduces that loss by extending shelf life and giving consumers flexibility. Maintaining a cold chain does consume energy, but this is balanced by the potential to reduce food waste.”

When it comes to nutrition, frozen food can retain more nutrients than many people expect. Gillblad noted, “Nutrient loss is often linked more to heating and prolonged storage than to freezing. Keeping meals hot for extended periods can have a greater impact on vitamins and minerals than freezing.”

In his view, the frozen food revolution is about convenience, sustainability, and respect for resources. “Freezing gives food a second life,” he says. “It can prevent waste, preserve nutrition, and allow us to enjoy quality food on demand.”

For Gillblad, changing that mindset is key to building a more sustainable food system. “If we can teach people to look beyond appearances,” he says, “then freezing can be seen as a part of the solution.”