Canned and Frozen Fruits and Vegetables Key Terms

Know your way around with some fruits and vegetable key terms

Canned and frozen fruits and vegetables make up a large portion of the restaurant business, as well as in homes across the country. When your business learns about the best ways to purchase canned and frozen fruits and vegetables, you can be well on your way to success. Additionally, knowing some key terms can allow you to find the best deals around and keep overall costs down. Understanding these terms can also ensure safe preparation and service.

 

Flash frozen food

Flash frozen food, also known as individually quick frozen (IQF) food, uses a high-speed freezing process. This method of freezing food is used as the quickest way to freeze fresh vegetables and fruit for later use.
Try: Learn more about the benefits of flash frozen food at Coming Alongside.

Pickling

Pickling brine contains salt water and vinegar, flavored with spices such as dill and garlic. Almost every vegetable can be pickled, with the most popular being cucumbers and cabbage. Once pickled, these vegetables can be canned for later use.
Try: Learn about the numerous types of pickled vegetables at The Nibble.

Vacuum packaging

Vacuum packaging is another way for businesses to sell you fruits and vegetables. It ensures that the food retains freshness and flavor better than conventional storage methods. Vacuum-packaged foods don't come in contact with oxygen, allowing them to be frozen and stored for a longer amount of time.
Try: Learn about other benefits of vacuum packaging and how long you can properly store vacuum-packed fruits and vegetables at Fante's.

Fruit concentrates

A fruit concentrate is another way to deliver fruit to a consumer, involving the removal of all water and moisture. Before it's frozen, the fruit is washed, scrubbed, sorted and blanched. From there, it is packaged and sold in frozen form.
Try: Learn about the benefits of fruit concentrates at Sabroso.

Irradiation pasteurization

Irradiation pasteurization slows the growth of microorganisms in food products. By heating the food high enough, the pathogenic or disease-causing microorganisms that tend to associate with the specific food are eliminated. Fruits and vegetables are subjected to small amounts of gamma rays to control vegetative bacteria.
Try: The Minnesota Department of Health has additional information about irradiation pasteurization.

California blend

California blend is a type of frozen and canned vegetable mixture that includes cauliflower florets, broccoli florets and baby carrots. Certain brands also include small pieces of zucchini.
Try: Look to a story from Sunbeam Television on California blend vegetables.

Copyright © 2011 Business.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

---