The art of freezing... and deep-freezing!
Freezing and over-freezing are two conservation processes through the cold, but did you know that freezing and deep-freezing are not the same?
Conservation techniques
Freezing and deep-freezing have the same goal: avoid the natural deterioration of food using the cold. Contrary to other conversation modes (sterilisation, drying, salting, candying...), products are not – or barely - modified. The difference between them? Freezing is a home-practice whereas deep-freezing is an industrial process. Invented little over a month ago, the latter made conservation through freezing available to all and improved it. Still nowadays, how easy this process is does not hinder innovation. For instance, at Bonduelle, where with the use of cutting edge techniques, frozen vegetables increasingly rival fresh ones as much in terms of appearance as taste.
Freezing, the queen of no-food-waste
Freezing aims to progressively freeze food at home with temperatures between -18 °C and -25 °C. The process requires several hours. It transforms the water in the vegetables into ice which allows them to be kept several months. A few simple tricks allow to optimise the operation including the use of freezing bags or box to avoid drying and oxidation. Fruits and vegetables must also be blanched in boiling water before being frozen.
Why we like it: it is a great technique against waste both in terms of economy and waste reduction. It avoids throwing stew leftovers, extra garden vegetables, the green part of leeks which are great to add a smokey taste to soups...
Deep-freezing: anti-waste and more!
Deep-freezing is an improved version of freezing: by lowering the ingredients’ temperature really quickly (a few minutes only contrary to freezing which requires several hours), it « gets hold » of the vegetables but avoids large ice crystals. To optimise quality, deep-freezing must happen as early as possible after harvest for Bonduelle vegetables the like of green beans, zucchini, peas or carrots. Like at home, they are carefully washed in cold water before being blanched in boiling water.
Why we like it: practical, flavourful and available all year long, frozen vegetables also allow to limit food waste thanks to portion-sized conditioning so we can use only what we need. Furthermore, at Bonduelle, vegetables mainly come from fields located near factories. They are harvested and frozen on the same day to keep a maximum of vitamins and nutrients.
If you juggle between freezing and deep-freezing to complete your fresh and canned vegetables, daily cooking is simpler and more responsible!