Frozen vegetables

High school (ages 12+)
Food & Cooking

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/frozen-vegetables

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the historical preservation method?Natural freezing of produce, exemplified by 'frozen' pears consumed by Khitan tribes
2. What is the key technological advancement?Flash freezing technique popularized by Clarence Birdseye in 1929
3. How do farmers keep frozen veggies from getting mushy?They first blanch the vegetables, then freeze them very fast. This makes tiny ice crystals that keep the texture and moisture.
4. Why do frozen vegetables last so long?The quick freezing stops enzymes that cause spoilage, so the veggies can stay good for up to a year when kept cold.

Enzymatic Degradation: The breakdown of food components by natural enzymes, leading to spoilage and quality loss.
Cellular Damage: Rupturing of plant cell walls by large ice crystals, affecting texture and moisture retention.
Post-Harvest Losses: Food that is lost or wasted between harvest and consumption due to spoilage or damage.