AY Honors/Food - Freezing/Answer Key

1. Define the following terms:

a. Blanching

Blanching is a food preparation process wherein the food substance, usually a vegetable or fruit, is plunged into boiling water, removed after a brief, timed interval and finally plunged into iced water or placed under cold running water (shocked) to halt the cooking process.

b. Quick freeze

Quick freezing is used to quickly freeze perishable food items. In this case, water contained inside the food items is subjected to temperatures well below its melting/freezing point {{inits|0°C|32°F). This causes the water inside the foods to freeze in a very short period of time.

c. Freezer burn

To make something extremely dry by keeping it in the freezer for too long.

2. What kinds of containers can be used for freezing foods?

Plastic containers work the best. Metal containers also work well.

3. What are the essential things to be considered when selecting vegetables or fruits for freezing?

First check the quality, then wash thoroughly. Make sure the fruit or vegetable has no salt (or any other freezer-preventing material) on it, then when you freeze the fruit/vegetable make sure that is is not bumped or squished.

4. How do you thaw frozen vegetables for the table? How do you thaw frozen fruits for the table?

Vegetables:

Fruits:

7. Why is salt not put in vegetables to be frozen?

Because it will remove all the water and not let the vegetable freeze, thus putting it in dehydrating-like state.