Frozen fruits and vegetables are widely used in the modern food industry due to their convenience and nutritional retention. But how are frozen fruits and vegetables processed? The following are the main processing steps:
1. Raw material screening
After freshly picked fruits and vegetables are delivered to the factory, they first need to be screened to remove rotten, damaged or substandard parts to ensure the quality of the final product.
2. Cleaning
The screened raw materials enter the cleaning stage, where high-pressure water is used to remove dirt, pesticide residues and other impurities. Some factories also use food-grade disinfectants to treat the raw materials to ensure food safety.
3. Peeling and deseeding (depending on the situation)
Different types of fruits and vegetables may need to be peeled or deseeded. For example, carrots, potatoes, etc. usually need to be peeled, while green beans, peas, etc. need to be depodded.
4. Cutting (on demand)
Depending on market demand, fruits and vegetables are cut into different shapes, such as slices, dices, strips, etc. For example, carrots can be sliced or diced. Automated cutting equipment can ensure uniform size and improve production efficiency.
5. Blanching (for most vegetables)
Vegetables usually require blanching (i.e., a brief heat treatment) to inactivate enzymes, prevent color and texture changes, and remove unwanted microorganisms. Blanching is usually done in hot water or steam and quickly cooled to prevent over-softening. Fruits are generally not blanched to preserve their original flavor and taste.
6. Quick freezing
Quick freezing is a key step in the freezing process. IQF technology is usually used to reduce fruits and vegetables to below -18°C in a very short time to avoid the formation of large ice crystals, thus maintaining the cell structure and taste of the ingredients.
Different types of fruits and vegetables have different processing techniques, for example:
- Strawberries and blueberries: usually not cut or blanched, just washed and quick-frozen.
- Apples and mangoes: need to be peeled, cored, sliced or diced, and then quick-frozen.
- Broccoli and carrots: usually need to be blanched before freezing to maintain color and texture.
The processing of frozen fruits and vegetables requires strict control of each link to ensure the quality, safety and nutritional value of the final product. If you need fruit and vegetable freezing equipment, you can contact us.
