Frozen Fruits and Vegetables Made in Moldova
Freezing is a modern canning method that allows us to retain the majority of nutrients in fruits and vegetables. Thanks to modern technological processes, they are frozen several hours after they have been picked, thus storing the vitamins and minerals in optimal conditions. This process allows us to preserve fruits and vegetables for a longer period of time, to use them as needed in the desired quantity.
Thanks to the freezing, we have access to our favorite fruits and vegetables throughout the year, we can always find them in supermarkets, they are often cheaper than the same products in fresh version, and can be stored longer in the freezer.
In the food industry, there are several ways of freezing (using a stream of cold air, through contact with cold metal surfaces, through direct contact with intermediate or cryogenic agents), but for fruits and vegetables, the most common method is shock freezing. Using this method, the products are frozen at ultra-low temperatures for a short period of time, which, as a result, has a positive effect on the quality of the products. Fruits and vegetables do not lose their shape, color and other valuable food qualities (frozen vegetables retain up to 90% of vitamins, and up to 100% of microelements).
Kardel
A local company that uses the shock method of freezing, preserving the taste and structure of the product. The products do not leak or lose their shape, retaining almost all biologically active substances. They don’t accumulate any condensate, as they do when frozen in a regular refrigerator, therefore, fruits and vegetables do not stick together. Kardel offers a wide range of frozen fruits and berries: peaches, apricots, plums, cherries, black currants, strawberries, chokeberries, sea buckthorn, etc., frozen vegetables: zucchini, peas, potatoes, spinach, asparagus, broccoli, tomatoes, etc., as well as various mixes for soups, stews and side dishes.
Alfa-Nistru
The company owns the trademark "Vis" and offers vegetables, berries and fruits, frozen using a method that allows us to store them for up to 12 months. The period from picking to processing and freezing takes less than two hours. Alfa-Nistru offers apricots, raspberries, black currants and frozen cherries, as well as peas, corn and various vegetable mixes.
Tiferet
A company from Causeni, whose factory is located just a few kilometers from the plantations where fruits and berries are grown, which allows the producer to freeze the products immediately after harvest. Tiferet offers frozen peaches, apricots, plums, cherries, strawberries, raspberries, black currants, sea buckthorn and rosehip.
Pomrubus
The company is administrated by farmer Irina Pompus-Mura, which grows 6 varieties of blackberries, the most common of which is Thornfree, on 10 hectares. Part of the crop of 10 tons grown per year is frozen. The method of shock heat treatment at -40 °C is used. Frozen blackberries can be stored for 2 years at a temperature of -17-18 ° C.
TIM
The company is located in the village of Andrusul de Jos, in Cahul district and grows blackberries of Arapaho, Triple Crown and Tayberry varieties. Products are frozen using the same shock method at -40 ° C. About 7 tons of frozen blackberries are produced here annually.
Lolly Berry
The company is the only producer of blueberries in the Republic of Moldova. The varieties Duke, Bluecrop, Bluegold, Brigitta were purchased in Poland. Recently, the producer started to make frozen blueberries using the same fast-freezing technology.
Madein.md team made a review of frozen fruits made in Moldova, to find out how well they retain their properties after defrosting and what is the difference between frozen fruits in industrial factories and at home.
photosource: byrneshec.org