Why Do Vegetables Lose Their Taste When Frozen?

Choosing the Right Vegetables

• Vegetables that need to be cooked freeze better than other vegetables. Lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes do not freeze well, losing both texture and flavor in the freezing process. Freezing young vegetables freshly harvested from the garden preserves the most taste.

Preparing Vegetables for Freezing

• The natural enzymes in vegetables cause a loss of taste. Freezing slows the loss of taste but only if the vegetables are properly prepared. Blanching the vegetables in boiling water or steam stops the enzyme activity, preserving the taste when frozen. The blanched vegetables must be cooled for the same time as the blanching.

Packaging Vegetables for Freezing

• There are two methods of packaging vegetables for freezing: dry or tray packing. Dry packing utilizes freezer bags or rigid containers. Removing as much air as possible from the bags is critical for preserving the flavor of the vegetables. For tray packing, well dried vegetables are placed in a single layer on a tray and frozen until firm. Once frozen, the vegetables are transferred to bags or containers.

Freezer Burn

• Improperly packaged vegetables develop freezer burn. The air gets into the packaging, evaporating the moisture, making the vegetable dry and tough. Freezer burned vegetables lose their taste.