The Rule You Need To Remember Before Eating Old Frozen Fruit

Freezing food is a convenient way to preserve its flavor and nutrients, especially for later use. Frozen fruit is among the frozen foods celebrity chefs love to cook with . Like with most foods, the commercial freezing of fruit occurs at peak freshness and ripeness — right after it's harvested — for the best quality results possible when thawed.

Fresh fruit, on the other hand, is often picked before peak ripeness, so it doesn't have time to develop as much nutrients. While frozen fruit can be more nutritious than fresh, there's a rule you need to remember before eating old frozen fruit: the quality can deteriorate greatly when freezer burn sets in. Freezer burn occurs in fruits when they lose too much moisture, which naturally happens little by little while they're frozen.



The ice crystals that develop upon the initial freezing process eventually migrate to the surface through the process of sublimation, during which the ice turns into a gas, which is why ice cubes shrink over time. With this moisture loss, frozen fruits begin to look dry and shriveled (making them tough in texture), and ice crystals may cover their surface. Also, they become exposed to oxygen, which causes color and flavor changes.

That's why, for the best quality, frozen fruits should be packaged with as little air as possible and used within 12 months of freezing, which is indicated by the "Best if Used By/Before" date on the package. But, even if your old frozen fruit suffers from freezer burn, it's still safe to eat — just like it's safe to eat freezer burnt meat — as long as it remains frozen at zero degrees Fahrenheit or colder. Enzyme activity also contributes to frozen fruit deterioration Freezer burn isn't the only thing to consider when it comes to eating old frozen fruit.

All foods (including meats) contain natural enzymes that cause chemical reactions within them. In fresh fruits, these substances promote ripeness, which eventually turns them brown and causes vitamin C loss. Freezing the fruits slows this enzyme activity, but it doesn't completely stop it.

Generally, the addition of a pure or commercially mixed vitamin C solution — also known as ascorbic acid — before freezing fruits significantly interferes with the enzymes to preserve freshness and prevent browning. Citrus fruit, such as lemon juice, and sugary solutions may control browning, but these aren't as effective. Since the ascorbic acid doesn't stop the enzyme activity entirely either, the quality of the fruits slowly declines the longer that they sit in the freezer.

Like with freezer burn, though, the continued work of the enzymes doesn't make frozen fruit unsafe to eat. You can still eat and use old frozen fruit Frozen fruit that has fallen victim to freezer burn or enzyme activity may have a different texture. In particular, there are some differences to note for thawing frozen berries versus citrus fruits .

While both types can be more watery if they have a high water content, berries are more likely to become mushy when fully thawed because the ice crystals that form while freezing them damage their delicate cell walls. For this reason, you may get more enjoyment out of eating berries while they are still slightly frozen because the remaining ice crystals provide a bit of firmness and structure rather than a completely mushy texture. You may need to toss berries that look too shriveled and freezer burned, but for larger fruits, you can cut away the affected parts first.

If the texture of old frozen fruit is just too off-putting, you're not alone and can still use the fruit. For instance, you can rinse, cut off the worst parts, and dehydrate it. The simplest way to dry fruit without a dehydrator is to use an oven or air fryer.

Another easy way to use freezer-burned fruit while salvaging the flavor is to add them to frozen smoothies. Since freezer-burned fruit lacks liquid, add a little juice so that your smoothie can blend properly. The flavor of the fruit will likely be muted, too, so it's the perfect opportunity to include warming herbs and spices — such as cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger — for a boost.

And, you can brighten the profile with a splash of lemon or lime juice..