Freezing fruits and vegetables preserves them for up to a year, and is easier and faster than other methods. Harvest ripe produce, wash it in ice water, and cut it into small pieces before freezing. Quick freezing at zero degrees Fahrenheit or lower is essential to preserve the fruit’s texture. Thawing must be done gradually in the refrigerator to prevent the growth of microbes.
Freezing fruits and vegetables can preserve them for up to a year. This method of preservation is easier and faster than other methods such as canning and drying. Not only are surplus or seasonal produce available for year-round use, but it can also be enjoyed in a fresher, tastier state.
To freeze fruits and vegetables, harvest perfectly ripe specimens. These then, after thawing, will be just right to eat. Don’t freeze fruits or vegetables that aren’t good to eat right away. Unripe produce will remain unripe; freezing overripe fruit will likely further worsen the flavor and texture of the pulp.
Purchase fresh produce in quantities that can be frozen immediately. The product, if kept upright for too long, loses its freshness, its firmness and its flavour. It also loses many essential nutrients.
There are no lengthy preparations for freezing fruit and vegetables. Just wash them in ice water first. Sometimes fruits and vegetables are pre-steamed or dipped in boiling water. This process is called bleaching. Improves the overall quality and lasting value of the product.
Then peel or shell the products that need to be peeled or shelled. Remove seeds or pits. Cut and slice into small pieces. It is much easier to freeze products if they are in small pieces. Smaller fruits, such as berries, can be frozen as-is.
Line up the cut pieces at intervals on a piece of wax paper and place them in the freezer for about an hour or so. This initial way of freezing fruits and vegetables will ensure that the individual pieces stay separate and don’t stick to each other later on. After you freeze them, remove them from the wax paper and pack them in plastic freezer bags or plastic box containers. Pack loosely, leaving some room or space inside.
Place packaged products in a chest freezer, fridge freezer or upright freezer. The main thing is to use a freezer where the temperature can be adjusted to zero degrees Fahrenheit or lower for quick freezing. When frozen quickly, the water content in the fruit freezes and forms small ice crystals within the fruit. This keeps the fruit in more or less pristine condition. However, when frozen slowly, larger ice crystals form. These disrupt and break down the cell structure of the fruit, causing the fruit to not be firm but a bit soggy or soft when thawed.
At normal temperatures, fruits and vegetables tend to rot quickly due to certain enzymatic activities within them. Freezing inactivates these enzymes and thus slows down the normal decomposition process. Freezing also stops the growth of microbes that would otherwise spoil the product. When thawed, these microbes will return to normal business, so thawing must be gradual and done inside the refrigerator itself.
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