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Cottonwood District

Freezing Foods

Freezing foods can be fast and easy. Freezing helps to stop or slow down processes that cause foods to go bad over time. Not all foods freeze well, and some foods need further preparation before they can be frozen like blanching or cooking to inactivate certain enzymes in the food.

Remember to date and label what it is your freezing when you freeze it. Most food that is frozen will not be unsafe to eat but due to freezer thawing cycles, ice crystal formation, and time, some frozen foods can develop undesirable colors and flavors that will make the food much less appealing.

Freezing Information

Blanching

Blanching is typically only done to fruit or vegetables. It consists of placing the food in boiling water for a very short period of time to inactivate the enzymes, the food is then removed from the boiling water and cooled under cold running water or placed in ice water to stop the cooking process.