1. Safe, Simple, Easy to Learn Freezing Fruits and Vegetables
Empowerment Through Education
Hi, I’m ____________ an Extension Educator with Ohio State University Extension to talk about Preserving Food Safely

2. Today’s Topics Basics of freezing fruits and vegetables
Preventing fruits from discoloring
Blanching vegetables
Packaging frozen fruits and vegetables
Thawing methods for fruits and vegetables

3. Basics for Handling Food Safely
Prevent bacteria from spreading through your kitchen.
Wash hands!
20 seconds before and after handling food
Sanitize!
Cutting boards, utensils, and countertops
Solution of 1 Tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine
bleach in 1 gallon of water
We will start with the basic principle of handling food safely. The most important thing is to make sure your hands are clean and then that everything in your kitchen is cleaned and sanitized. Use a solution of 1 Tablespoon of bleach to 1 gallon of water.

4. Before preserving any food consider the types of foods your family enjoys and the usefulness of the preserved product in your lifestyle.
Preserving food at home may require significant time, energy and money.
Before starting your preservation, it is important to consider the types of foods you plan to preserve and how they will fit into your family’s lifestyle. Only preserve those foods your family will consume within 1 year.

5. Freezing — Overview Simple, easy and quickest method of preservation
Adds convenience to food preparation
Slows growth of microorganisms and chemical changes
Preserves the greatest quantity of nutrients if done properly
Freezing does not completely destroy bacterial, molds, and yeast that cause food spoilage, but it does significantly retard their growth.
Once fruits and vegetables are thawed, safe food handling practices are required as the growth of bacteria, yeasts and mold will continue.
Other: Always select fresh, firm, ripe produce for best results.

6. Methods of Food Preservation
Canning
Freezing
Drying
Fermentation
Methods: There are several ways you can preserve food in your home. They include canning (using boiling water or steam pressure), freezing, drying and fermenting. Choose the method that is right for you. This decision may be based on the type of food you chose to preserve.

7. Advantages of Food Preservation
Year round availability of foods
Less spoilage
Eliminate or reduce microbial hazards
Increased convenience
Advantages: The immediate benefits of preserving food are the elimination/reduction of spoilage microorganisms and inactivation of enzymes that cause further ripening. Long term benefits include the convenience of using your preserved foods and the ability to enjoy produce at its peak of freshness all year long.

8. Disadvantages of Freezing
Some foods may have undesirable texture changes
Consider cost of purchasing and/or operating a freezer
Available freezer space may limit the amount of product you can preserve
Note to Educators – Cost of preserving is dependent upon what equipment the home preserver has available.

9. Freezing Pointers Check freezer temperature 0o F for best quality
Freeze foods quickly
Don’t stack food packages until they are solidly frozen
Maintain freezer temperature at 0 ºF for best product quality.
When freezing large amounts of food, set freezer temperature to negative 10 ºF twenty-four hours in advance. Keep temperature lowered until food is solidly frozen, then maintain at 0 ºF.
Keep a thermometer in your freezer to monitor temperature.
Avoid overloading the freezer with unfrozen foods. Leave space between packages of unfrozen foods to allow for air circulation.

10. How Freezing Affects Food?
Textural Changes:
Water expands during freezing, breaking cell walls
Thawed produce may leak juices and be soft
Celery, lettuce and other vegetable with high water content do not freeze well
Water makes up 90% of the weight of most produce.
Frozen fruits should be eaten before they are thoroughly defrosted.
Extra: Zucchini or summer squash can be shredded for use in soups, quick breads, pancakes or fritters.

11. Selection Vegetables: Choose young and tender.
Over-mature may be hard, tough or less flavorful.
Fruit:
Fully ripe, but firm
Under ripe may be bitter.
Freeze soft, very ripe fruits as purées.
Ohioline: Selecting, Storing, and Serving of Ohio Fruits and Vegetables (series of fact sheets)

12. Enzymes in Vegetables and Fruits
Blanching vegetables to inactivate the enzymes that change the flavor, color and nutrients is important
Natural enzymes in fruit cause flavor, color, texture and nutritive value changes. Treat with ascorbic acid or other commercial products.
Fruits are not usually blanched.
Enzymes are small proteins in foods that start or help with reactions, such as those that cause browning, off-flavors, mushiness, etc.
They can change flavor, color or nutrient content of a food. To prevent color and flavor changes, as well as loss of some nutrients, enzymes should be controlled.
Enzymes are slowed down but not destroyed during freezing. Blanching vegetables will destroy enzymes. Ascorbic acid or other commercial products control but do not destroy enzymes in fruits.

13. Packaging Use freezer bags or rigid freezer-safe containers
Squeeze air from bags before sealing
Leave ½ to 1 inch headspace for expansion in rigid containers
Use only moisture-proof, vapor-proof packaging designed for freezing
Do not reuse cardboard containers or plastic containers from commercially prepared food products
Label and date product
Excessive air leads to flavor loss or off-flavors.
When frozen foods become dry, tough and develop grayish spots it’s called “freezer burn.”
Ice cream, cottage cheese, margarine and whipped topping containers are not designed to protect foods in long-term freezer storage.
Wide mouth mason jars labeled for canning and freezing may be used for freezing. Use the “freeze fill line” marked on the side of the jar. Foods need room to expand in the freezer.
Labels should include name of the product, added ingredients, form of food ex. Halves, whole , etc. and number of servings.

14. Fruit: Freezing Overview
Consider the end use of the product when selecting the size/shape in which to freeze the fruit
Whole, sliced, crushed, juiced, etc.
Choose fully ripe, but firm, fruit for highest quality
Note to Educator: See OSU Extension HYG fact sheet 5349 entitled Freezing Fruits for details.
Immature or overripe produce results in lower quality frozen product.
Puree overripe fruits for use as sauce or smoothies.

15. Fruit: Preventing Browning
The most effective method is treating washed and sorted light colored fruit with ascorbic acid (Vitamin C)
1 tsp. of ascorbic acid to one gallon of cool water
Commercial ascorbic acid mixtures
Other methods may be used, but are not as effective
Lemon juice, citric acid solutions and sugar syrups
Ascorbic acid or vitamin C is preferred for being effective in preventing discoloration in most fruits. Not only does it preserve natural color and flavor of fruits, but it adds nutritive value as well.
Follow package directions to obtain correct strength of ascorbic acid.

16. Fruit: Types of Packs Syrup pack Sugar pack
Best for slices of soft fruits like strawberries and peaches
Dry or Tray pack
Good for small whole fruits such as berries
Unsweetened and water packs
Artificial sweeteners
The type of pack will depend on the intended use of the fruit.
Most fruit has a better texture and flavor when packed with sugar or syrup. However, sugar is not necessary to safely freeze fruits.
Syrup pack produces better texture. If using this method, fruits should be covered with syrup.
Sliced soft fruits (strawberries, peaches, etc.) make their own syrup when mixed with the right proportion of sugar. Layer fruit and sugar in a bowl or pan.
Experiment with artificial sweeteners to determine best taste and quality. May be used in syrup, juice or water packs. These do not help with color retention or texture like sugar does. Use amounts on product labels or to taste.

17. Fruit: Tray Pack
Spread fruit in a single layer on shallow trays and freeze until firm
Package in rigid freezer containers or bags and return to freezer
Tray packed fruits do not
tend to clump together
Benefits of tray packing:
Fruit pieces retain shapes.
Can remove only the amount needed at one time.

18. Fruit: Thawing for Serving
Timing:
Dry, tray and sugar packs thaw faster than syrup packs
Unsweetened and water packs thaw the slowest
Thawing Methods:
Room temperature
Microwave
Refrigerator
Defrost fruit in its original package in one of the following ways:
At room temperature in a pan of cool water (under 70 degrees). Only use this method if the food can be thawed in less than 2 hours.
In a microwave, only if the fruit is to be used right away.
In the refrigerator, allow 6-8 hours for thawing a 1-pound package of fruit in syrup (slightly longer for unsweetened fruit).
Serve fruit with a few ice crystals still remaining.

19. Vegetables: Freezing Overview
Choose young, tender vegetables
Wash thoroughly in cool water
Prepare vegetables for freezing, keeping in mind how you intend to use them
Note to Educators: See OSU Extension HYG fact sheet 5333 entitled Freezing Vegetables.

20. Vegetables: Water Blanching
Lower vegetables into vigorously boiling water. Put lid on.
Water should hardly stop boiling
or return to a boil within a minute.
Start timing the blanching as soon
as water returns to a boil.
Primary method of destroying enzymes in vegetables.
Boil water in a large pot with a lid.
Use 1 gallon of water per 1 lb. of most vegetables. You will need to use 2 gallons of water for leafy greens like collards, kale, mustard, and turnip greens.

21. Vegetables: Steam Blanching
Place one layer of vegetables in a wire basket.
Suspend in steamer above several inches of rapidly
boiling water and cover.
Start timing as soon as the lid is on.
Steam 1 ½ times longer than boiling water blanching time.

22. Vegetables: Cooling After Blanching
After blanching in water or steam, cool immediately in cold water.
Change water frequently or use running water or iced water (1 lb. ice per 1 lb. vegetable).
Cooling time should be the same as the blanching time.
Drain thoroughly.
Plan ahead – make sure you have plenty of ice available.

23. Vegetables: Types of Packing
Dry Packing
Pack after the vegetables are blanched, cooled, and drained
Pack quickly, pushing air out of package as you work towards top
Tray Packing
After draining, follow same guidelines as for fruits

24. Vegetables: Thawing for Serving
Most vegetables can be cooked without thawing
Corn-on-the-cob should be partially thawed before cooking so that it will heat all the way through
Leafy greens cook more evenly if partially thawed
Cook vegetables in ½ cup or less water per pint package to maintain nutrients, drain and season as desired.
Experts also caution freezing corn on the cob. It often has a “cobby” taste when cooked. For best results follow directions for blanching and cool on the cob. Cut corn form the cob, package and freeze.

25. Recommended Storage Times
Fruits
Most frozen fruits maintain high quality for 8 to 12 months
Unsweetened fruits lose quality faster than fruits packed in sugar or sugar syrups
Vegetables
Most vegetables will maintain high quality for 12 to 18 months at 0°F or lower
Note: OSU Extension fact sheets for freezing fruits and freezing vegetables recommend use within 1 year.
Longer storage of fruits and vegetables than those recommended will not make the food unsafe for use but will decrease its quality.
Use your home-frozen vegetables before the next year’s crop is ready for freezing

26. What to do if the Freezer Stops?
Keep the freezer door closed
Foods should stay frozen for hours
Thawed fruits that still have ice crystals can be refrozen or used in cooking, baking and making jams and jellies
Vegetables containing ice crystals or at 40° F or below can be refrozen
Thawed vegetables should be thrown out
If you know the power will be off for an extended period of time, protect your food with 25 pounds of dry ice per 10 cubic feet of freezer space.
When in doubt, throw it out!

27. Summary
Freezing fruits and vegetables is a safe, easy way to preserve foods.
Wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly.
Follow blanching charts for vegetables.
Use proper procedures and equipment, including freezer-safe materials.
Use the freezing process that works best for your family meal needs.

28. Questions? Contact your local OSU Extension Office extension.osu.edu
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29. This material has been peer-reviewed for statewide distribution.
Developed by OSU Extension Food Preservation Team:
Lisa Barlage, Educator, Ross County
Melinda Hill, Educator, Wayne County
Shawna Hite, Healthy People Program Specialist
Sanja Ilic, Food Safety State Specialist
Christine Kendle, Educator, Tuscarawas County
Katharine Shumaker, Educator, Holmes County
Nancy Stehulak, Educator, Henry County
Treva Williams, Educator, Scioto County

30. References Ohio State University Extension, Freezing Basics, HYG-5341
Ohio State University Extension, Freezing Vegetables,
Ohio State University Extension, Freezing Fruits,
Andress, E., & Harrison, J.(2014) So Easy to Preserve (6th ed.). Athens, The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service
National Center for Home Food Preservation. 

31. Photo Credits
Slides 3 and 12: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Slide 11: Pixabay
Slide 13 and 20: National Center for Home Food Preservation
All other photos were taken by the Food Preservation Team.
Updated May 2016