How Does Are Frozen Fruits And Vegetables As Good As Fresh Work?

Benefits of Frozen Fruit and Fresh Fruit

Depending on the fruit, some may retain more nutrients frozen while others are better fresh. Nutrients in fruit are at their peak right after being picked. Because fruit is frozen quickly, it retains nutritional value. 

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If your fresh fruit is truly fresh, the nutrient value may be similar. If your fresh fruit was shipped and sat on store shelves for a while, it may contain fewer nutrients.

When you consider all of the variables, the health benefits of fresh and frozen fruit are very similar. Still, there are some differences that make each one beneficial in unique ways.

Frozen fruit. When fruit is frozen, it is picked at the peak of ripeness and flash-frozen soon after to preserve the optimal nutrition benefits. Frozen fruit often lasts several months and may be more economical than buying fresh fruit that goes bad quicker. With frozen fruit, you can take out as many pieces as you need and leave the rest for next time.

Frozen fruit is also beneficial because it is already prepped for you. It usually comes cleaned and presliced for your convenience. This may save you time when making dishes that contain fruit.

Similarly, frozen fruit is great for adding to yogurt and smoothies. Just grab a handful of strawberry slices, for example, and toss them into your bowl of yogurt or your blender and enjoy your snack. If fruits you love to include in these dishes are out of season, they may still be available frozen.&#;

Fresh fruit. When you choose fresh fruit, it is often in season and more versatile than frozen fruit. Freezing may impact the texture of your fruit when it thaws, but fresh fruit retains its natural texture better.

One benefit to fresh fruit is that you can usually find it when it&#;s in season. There are plenty of food guides online to tell you what's in season and when. By purchasing in-season fruits, you avoid the risk of fruits that rely on fertilizers or additives in order to grow out of season.

Risks of Frozen Fruit and Fresh Fruit

The benefits of fruit outweigh the risks, but that doesn&#;t mean risks don&#;t exist. For starters, some fruit contains a lot of sugar, which may be dangerous for people with a diabetes diagnosis. They may also contain harmful germs such as:

• Salmonella
• E. coli&#;
• Listeria

In fact, the CDC estimates that a large percentage of all foodborne illnesses, or food poisoning, in the U.S. comes from fresh produce not being cleaned properly before it's eaten. The safest way to eat produce is by cooking it to kill germs, but most of the time fruit is not cooked before being eaten.

Instead, you should be sure to wash your produce well before eating it. Scrub the skin and ensure that individual pieces are all rinsed thoroughly. You can rinse your produce when you bring it home from the store or wait to rinse it in individual portions when you're ready to use it.

Other ways to reduce your risk for foodborne illnesses include:

• Choosing fruit that isn&#;t bruised or damaged
• Refrigerating fruit that you purchase precut or fruit that you slice and store at home, because this reduces bacteria growth
• Keeping your fruit separate from other items such as veggies, meat, and dairy in your shopping cart 
• Cleaning all of your food preparation surfaces to ensure you don&#;t transfer bacteria to or from the fruit
• Using running water to clean your fruit and wash away bacteria
• Not using disinfectant soap or bleach on your produce
• Drying your fruit off with a paper towel or clean dish towel immediately after washing &#;
• Cutting off any damaged or bruised parts of your fruit before eating it 

Keep in mind that some people are naturally at a higher risk for suffering from foodborne illnesses. Factors include:

• Being 65 or older
• Being younger than five
• Having some health problems 
• Taking medication that lowers your body&#;s immune response
• Being pregnant

Harvest, Processing and Transportation

Most of the fruits and vegetables you buy are harvested by hand, with a smaller amount being harvested by machinery.

However, what happens after that varies between fresh and frozen produce.

Fresh Fruit and Vegetables

Most fresh fruits and vegetables are picked before they are ripe. This allows them time to fully ripen during transportation.

It also gives them less time to develop a full range of vitamins, minerals and natural antioxidants.

In the US, fruits and vegetables may spend anywhere from 3 days to several weeks in transit before arriving at a distribution center.

However, the USDA states that some produce, such as apples and pears, can be stored for up to 12 months under controlled conditions before being sold.

During transportation, fresh produce is generally stored in a chilled, controlled atmosphere and treated with chemicals to prevent spoiling.

Once they reach the supermarket, fruits and vegetables may spend an additional 1&#;3 days on display. They&#;re then stored in people&#;s homes for up to 7 days before being eaten.

Bottom Line:

Fresh fruit and vegetables are often picked before they are fully ripe. Transportation and storage can take anywhere from 3 days and up to 12 months for some types of produce.

Frozen Fruit and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables that will be frozen are generally picked at peak ripeness, when they&#;re the most nutritious.

Once harvested, the vegetables are often washed, blanched, cut, frozen and packaged within a few hours.

Fruits tend not to undergo blanching, as this can greatly affect their texture.

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Instead, they can be treated with ascorbic acid (a form of vitamin C) or added sugar to prevent spoiling.

Usually, no chemicals are added to produce before freezing.

Bottom Line:

Frozen fruit and vegetables are generally picked at peak ripeness. They are often washed, blanched, frozen and packaged within a few hours of being harvested.

Some Vitamins Are Lost During Processing of Frozen Produce

Generally speaking, freezing helps retain the nutrient content of fruits and vegetables.

However, some nutrients begin to break down when frozen produce is stored for more than a year (2).

Certain nutrients are also lost during the blanching process. In fact, the greatest loss of nutrients occurs at this time.

Blanching takes place prior to freezing, and involves placing the produce in boiling water for a short time &#; usually a few minutes.

This kills any harmful bacteria and prevents the loss of flavor, color and texture. Yet it also results in the loss of water-soluble nutrients, such as B-vitamins and vitamin C.

However, this doesn&#;t apply to frozen fruits, which don&#;t undergo blanching.

The extent of nutrient loss varies, depending on the type of vegetable and length of blanching. Generally, losses range from 10&#;80%, with averages around 50% (3, 4).

One study found that blanching reduced water-soluble antioxidant activity in peas by 30%, and in spinach by 50%. Nonetheless, levels remained constant during storage at &#;4° F, or &#;20° C (5).

That being said, some research also suggests that frozen produce may retain its antioxidant activity despite the loss of water-soluble vitamins (6, 7).

Bottom Line:

Blanching results in a loss of antioxidants, B-vitamins and vitamin C. However, nutrient levels remain fairly stable after freezing.

Nutrients in Both Fresh and Frozen Produce Decline During Storage

Shortly after harvesting, fresh fruits and vegetables start to lose moisture, have a greater risk of spoiling and drop in nutrient value.

One study found a decline in nutrients after 3 days of refrigeration, when values fell to levels below those of frozen varieties. This is most common in soft fruits (8).

The vitamin C in fresh vegetables begins to decline immediately after harvesting and continues to do so during storage (2, 5, 9).

For example, green peas have been shown to lose up to 51% of their vitamin C during the first 24&#;48 hours after harvesting (9).

In vegetables stored chilled or at room temperature, antioxidant activity declined (5).

However, although vitamin C can be easily lost during storage, antioxidants like carotenoids and phenolics may actually increase.

This is possibly due to continued ripening and is seen in some fruits (8, 10).

Bottom Line:

Certain vitamins and antioxidants begin to decline immediately after harvesting. Therefore, it&#;s best to eat fresh fruits and vegetables as soon as possible.

Take Home Message

Freshly picked fruits and vegetables straight from the farm or your own garden are of the highest quality.

However, if you are shopping at the supermarket, frozen produce may be equal to, or in some cases, even more nutritious than fresh varieties.

At the end of the day, frozen fruit and vegetables are a convenient and cost-effective alternative to fresh options.

It&#;s best to choose a mix of fresh and frozen produce to ensure you get the best range of nutrients.

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