Which is Better: Fresh or Frozen Produce?

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

The majority of fresh fruits and vegetables are harvested prior to reaching maturity in order to have an extended shelf-life. Climacteric fruit continue ripening after harvest and will reach the desired color and flavor characteristics (e.g., a banana), while non-climacteric (e.g., a pineapple) fruit can soften and even change color externally after harvest, but they will not continue ripening in the interior.  One important thing to note is that the fruit harvested prior to reaching maturity have a lower amount of Vitamin C than if they were to mature on the plant.

Typical Shelf-life for Fresh Fruits & Vegetables

The typical path that a piece of fresh produce takes before it is consumed is as follows.

• Storage: 1 – 5 days
• Transportation (Domestic): ≤ 5 days*
• Transportation (International): days (by air) – several weeks (by refrigerated ship)*
• Store Display: 1 – 3 days
• At-Home Counter: 7 days
• At-Home Fridge: 7 days+

*Note: The travel time is the time it takes from the grower/packer/processor to the distribution center, from where it still needs to be transported to the grocery store/market/etc.

The more time that passes between harvest and consumption, the more changes that occur internally with the fruits and vegetables. Essentially, the longer that the produce is sitting and waiting to be consumed, it is aging, and therefore, degrading. Thus, the longer the storage period, the greater the loss of the original nutrient content. This could potentially lead to up to half of the original nutrient content being degraded (Barrett and Lloyd, 2012).

Frozen Fruits and Vegetables

Frozen produce is a whole different market! Produce that goes to the frozen market can have extended time to grow on the plants. This is particularly beneficial for the produce that is made into juices or other confectionery products to give it a sweeter flavor. However, one thing that is not often acknowledged is that a lot of the product that goes into making frozen produce products were not good enough to be harvested for the fresh market. This includes any produce that has visual defects (e.g., discoloration, misshapen, etc.).

Freezing serves as an effective way to preserve produce, since it decreases the water activity of the fruits and vegetables to help decrease/prevent microbial activity and to slow down chemical reactions taking place inside the produce that are causing it to age.

Blanching Frozen Fruits & Vegetables

Prior to freezing produce, the fruits and vegetables commonly undergo a blanching treatment. During this treatment, they are exposed to boiling water for a short duration to help shrink and peel the product, retain color, and to inactivate undesired enzymes. If those enzymes are not inactivated, they could end up causing vegetables to harden, change colors and/or texture, or produce off-flavors. After blanching, the produce items need to be cooled quickly in order to minimize the breakdown of nutrients.

Common Methods Used to Freeze Produce

There are three common methods that are used to freeze produce:

1. In air
2. By indirect contact with a refrigerant (freezing medium)
3. By direct contact with a refrigerant (freezing medium)

Fresh or Frozen Produce?

For frozen produce, the main loss of nutrients comes from the brief blanching period. While fresh produce can lose a large amount of nutrients during storage, frozen produce does not lose as much during the initial blanching stage. They can lose more during storage due to the exposure to oxygen (oxidation). However, this is all dependent on the storage duration.

The debate as to whether fresh or frozen produce is better for you is still up for debate. However, at the end of the day, consuming more produce in any form is better than not consuming any! And, in my house, my refrigerator and freezer and both full of fruits and vegetables to enjoy!

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Resources:

Barbosa-Cánovas, G.V., Altunakar, B., and Mejía-Lorío, D.J. “Freezing of fruits and vegetables: An agribusiness alternative for rural and semi-rural areas.” FAO Agricultural Services Bulletin (2005): 158.

Barrett, D.M., Lloyd, B. “Advanced preservation methods and nutrient retention in fruits and vegetables.” J Sci Food Agric 2012; 92: 7–22.