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REFRIGERATION

Food storage

How to store kulfi

Kulfi is a dense frozen dessert made from reduced milk, often with khoya, nuts and saffron. Unlike churned ice cream, it has little air, so it melts more slowly and has a firmer texture. But the mix is rich in milk protein and sugar, which makes it an excellent medium for bacteria before it is frozen and after it melts. The kulfi mix must be cooled quickly after cooking, frozen solid, and stored at −18 °C or colder. Vendors and restaurants should treat melted or partly thawed kulfi as unsafe to refreeze.

  • Frozen−18 °C or colder

Do

  • Cool the reduced milk mix quickly after cooking, in a shallow container placed in cold water or ice, and chill it before filling moulds.
  • Use clean, sanitised kulfi moulds, cones or matkas.
  • Freeze filled moulds quickly in a deep freezer with enough space for air circulation.
  • Once frozen, store kulfi in sealed containers or bags to prevent odour pick-up and freezer burn.
  • Keep storage freezers at −18 °C or colder and log temperatures daily.
  • Use clean sticks and avoid touching kulfi with bare hands during unmoulding.
  • Label batches with the date of making.

Avoid

  • Do not leave the kulfi mix to cool slowly at room temperature.
  • Do not refreeze kulfi that has melted, even partly.
  • Do not use matkas or moulds that have not been cleaned properly.
  • Do not store kulfi alongside raw meat or seafood in the same freezer.
  • Do not keep kulfi in a freezer that cannot hold temperature in summer heat.

In Indian conditions

Kulfi is sold by street vendors, sweet shops and restaurants across India, especially in summer. Traditional vendors often keep kulfi in earthen pots packed with ice and salt, which can work for short periods but is hard to control. Sweet shops and restaurants should store kulfi in proper deep freezers that can hold −18 °C at high ambient temperatures. During power cuts, a well-insulated chest freezer kept closed will protect kulfi for longer than an upright unit. Weddings and events often serve kulfi from portable freezers; check that they are cold enough before loading stock.

General good practice for commercial kitchens and shops. Where your FSSAI licence conditions or food-safety plan set stricter limits, follow those.