Peer-reviewed research from Nomad Foods indicates frozen food can be stored at -15°C rather than the long-established -18°C standard, cutting energy consumption by approximately 7% without compromising safety or quality, and giving manufacturers a validated route to lower operating demands across temperature-controlled supply chains.

Evidence beyond the pilot

Nomad Foods has announced that its research paper, Increasing storage temperature of frozen foods: effect on sustainability and food quality, has been peer reviewed and published in npj Science of Food, a leading journal in the Nature portfolio.

The study provides evidence that frozen foods can be safely stored at -15°C, three degrees warmer than the industry norm of -18°C, while maintaining product quality. The reduction in energy consumption is approximately 7%.

For manufacturers weighing up a change to storage protocols, independent validation matters. Peer review moves the conversation from a company’s internal assurances to findings that have been scrutinised externally, and that is the kind of evidence operations, quality and technical teams typically need before altering a standard as entrenched as -18°C.

The scale of the testing

The research ran for 18 months and evaluated nine frozen food categories, generating more than 20,000 quality measurements. That breadth is significant for a sector where product ranges vary widely and a single-category result would carry limited weight.

According to the findings, for most products tested, storage at -15°C maintained food safety, quality, nutritional value and shelf life within accepted limits. The qualifier is worth noting: the conclusion applies to most, not all, of the products tested, so manufacturers will want to consider their own portfolios against the published data.

Where the savings sit

The approximately 7% reduction in energy consumption is the headline operational benefit. Because the research is framed around cold chain and temperature-controlled supply chains, the potential relevance extends beyond a single site to the storage and distribution activity that keeps frozen product at temperature.

Refrigeration is a continuous demand, so a percentage reduction in energy use applies across every hour that product is held cold. The publication also adds to industry efforts to reduce carbon emissions across these supply chains, meaning the same change that lowers energy use supports sustainability reporting.

An industry effort

In June 2024, Nomad Foods became the first food manufacturer to join The Move to -15°C coalition, a global initiative dedicated to cutting carbon emissions in the frozen food supply chain.

Neil Fletcher, general counsel at Nomad Foods and board member of The Move to -15°C coalition, said: “The publication of our research in a peer-reviewed journal is an important milestone for both Nomad Foods and the frozen food industry. Our findings demonstrate that it is possible to reduce energy consumption across the cold chain while maintaining the safety and quality consumers expect from frozen food. We believe this research will help inform industry discussions and support more sustainable practices across temperature-controlled supply chains.”

The company’s wider sustainability record includes a 2023 life cycle assessment showing that many of its most popular frozen products have an equivalent or lower carbon footprint than comparable foods preserved using alternative methods. In 2026, it was also named in the Dow Jones Best in Class Index Europe for the fifth consecutive year.

Energy reduction 

For manufacturers, a 7% energy reduction, backed by 18 months of testing across nine categories and independent peer review, gives technical and sustainability teams something concrete to take into internal and customer discussions.

The practical questions remain product-specific. With the findings applying to most products tested, manufacturers will need to assess where their own ranges sit, and any change would also involve partners across the cold chain. But by shifting the debate from whether -15°C is defensible to how it might be applied, the research strengthens the case for treating storage temperature as an operational lever.

The paper can be accessed here: npj Science of Food