Bulk frozen blueberries are berries that combine deliciousness, nutrition, and health care. Although blueberries have high nutritional and health values, fresh blueberries cannot be preserved for a long time, so people will buy more blueberries for honey dipping, sugar dipping, or freezing blueberries for storage. So which storage method is better?
- Honey impregnation or sugar impregnation is good for long-term storage, but the amount of added sugar or honey is very high. If you want to eat 50-100 grams of blueberries each time, then the amount of sugar or honey is similar to the amount of blueberries. Eating too much sugar is bad for your health.
- Fresh blueberries can be refrigerated at low temperature, but the nutritional content is reduced during the refrigerated process, and the refrigerated time is very limited, only a few weeks.
- Bulk frozen blueberries can guarantee that the anthocyanins and nutrients in it will not change much for a long time, and will not affect its taste. It is the best way to store blueberries at home.
Changes of blueberry anthocyanin content under different storage conditions
Anthocyanins, the main antioxidants in blueberries, have several health benefits. Research results have shown that freshly picked blueberries and bulk frozen blueberries within 3 months have the highest anthocyanin content, and there is no difference between the two. The anthocyanin content of blueberries stored in cold storage for 2 weeks was lower than that of freshly picked blueberries, and the anthocyanin content of blueberries after drying was almost halved.
Bulk frozen blueberries’ anthocyanin levels are even higher than those of freshly picked blueberries. This is because anthocyanins mostly exist in blueberry peels, and freezing blueberries will form tiny ice crystals, destroying the structure of plant tissues and increasing the dissolution rate and utilization of anthocyanins. Therefore, the nutritional value of bulk frozen blueberries is higher than that of fresh blueberries.
Can fresh blueberries be frozen
If fresh blueberries cannot be eaten the same day they are purchased, they should be refrigerated and kept fresh. The refrigeration time should not be too long. If any spoiled fruit is discovered while refrigerating, it should be picked out and discarded as soon as possible.
The way to store larger quantities of fresh blueberries is to divide them into three parts:
Some of them are reserved for 1 to 2 days and stored at room temperature without refrigeration, some are taken out for 7 days and refrigerated at 2°C above zero, and some are directly frozen at minus 18°C for long-term storage.
The maturity of fresh blueberries is different, so the time for refrigeration and preservation is also different. If any deterioration is found during refrigeration, it may be converted to freezing in time. When refrigerated or frozen, blueberries should be wrapped in plastic wrap to prevent moisture loss or mixing with other foods. Bulk frozen blueberries taste best when eaten straight from the freezer, 10 to 20 minutes after defrosting. It is recommended to thaw as much as you intend to eat and then freeze it after thawing, which will lead to poor taste.
Blueberries can be frozen, and blueberries can be quick-frozen. Bulk frozen blueberries are fresh blueberries that, after picking, are put into a quick-freezing tunnel or a quick-freezing freezer for freezing, and then form tiny ice crystals, which will not damage the cell tissue of the blueberries and also ensure the taste and aroma of the blueberries. It can make the blueberries, after quick freezing, last for a longer period of time. Quick-frozen blueberries are relatively good in terms of transportation, storage, shelf life, and preservation.
Blueberry cold storage is mainly built in areas such as blueberry planting bases and is used to freeze blueberries after picking. Low-temperature freezing can fully preserve the taste and nutritional value of blueberries and is suitable for long-term consumption by children and pregnant women. The best storage temperature for bulk frozen blueberries is around 1°C to 3°C. If you want to store them for a long time, you can use quick-frozen storage. Many blueberries on the market are currently stored in quick-frozen storage.
How to store fresh blueberries
It is best to put fresh blueberries in the refrigerator immediately after buying them, and the best storage temperature is 1-3 °C. It can be stored for 5–7 days. If you want to eat fresh blueberries, never store them in a refrigerator that is colder than 0 °C.
It is not recommended to wash blueberries with water before putting them in the refrigerator because water can easily rot the berries, so keeping the blueberries dry is the only way to prolong the shelf life of fresh blueberries.
Fresh blueberries should also be kept at a temperature below 10 °C during transportation. However, the fruit must go through a pre-cooling process when the temperature in the field drops below 10 °C to remove the heat from the fruit in the field so as to effectively prevent rot. The pre-cooling methods mainly include vacuum cooling, cold water cooling, and cold air cooling.
How long can bulk frozen blueberries last?
Under normal circumstances, blueberries can be refrigerated for about 10–14 days and stored for 6-7 days under refrigerated conditions. Under normal circumstances, they can be stored for about 3–4 days before they can be eaten. Bulk frozen blueberries need to be wrapped with plastic wrap to avoid water loss, and the freezing temperature should be lower than 18 degrees Celsius. The taste of bulk frozen blueberries is best within 10–20 minutes after thawing. It is not suitable to freeze again after thawing, which will affect the taste of blueberries.
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