Vegetables are a key part of any healthy diet, providing essential nutrients that are hard to find in other foods. Whether paired with a meal or enjoyed on their own, they’re a delicious and versatile choice.
However, fresh vegetables come with some challenges. They’re often seasonal, which means they can be expensive and less flavorful when bought out of season. Plus, they have a short shelf life, limiting how long you can enjoy them.
Fortunately, frozen vegetables offer a great solution. Available year-round at almost any grocery store, frozen veggies are convenient, last longer, and are usually just as tasty and nutritious as fresh ones. They’re often more affordable too, making them a go-to option for many families.
Consumers Like it Cold
The frozen vegetable industry continues to grow. According to a 2024 report from Grand View Research, the global frozen food market (frozen fruits, vegetables, ready meals) was valued at over $194 billion in 2023, with a projected annual growth rate of 5.4% from 2024 to 2030. This surge is driven by consumers’ focus on healthy eating and the convenience of quick-prep meals, especially in today’s fast-paced world.
Frozen veggies are a perfect fit for modern lifestyles. As more people aim to eat healthier, they’re seeking out time-saving options that don’t compromise nutrition. The rise of home cooking trends, including meal-prep and freezer-friendly recipes, has made frozen vegetables a pantry essential. Additionally, improved access to refrigeration and freezing technology across the globe has opened up the market to more consumers, particularly in developing countries.
How Frozen Vegetables are Made
Have you ever noticed labels boasting that veggies were frozen just hours after harvesting? It’s true, but there’s more to the story. Before vegetables are frozen, they go through a crucial step called blanching.
Blanching involves briefly heating the vegetables in hot water or steam, which helps to kill bacteria and deactivate enzymes that could spoil the food. This process also preserves the color, flavor, and texture, ensuring the veggies taste fresh when you cook them later. After blanching, the vegetables are quickly cooled, sorted, and frozen.
Turning Up the Heat
Blanching needs to be done precisely to ensure the vegetables maintain their quality. Typically, vegetables are heated to around 212°F for a quick blanch or 150°F for a warm blanch, depending on the vegetable. After blanching, they’re cooled to around 100°F.
Manufacturers rely on efficient equipment to heat and cool the vegetables quickly while minimizing energy use. One of the best tools for this process is a shell and tube heat exchanger. These systems can be used to control the temperature of the heating medium for blanching and recover heat energy lost during the process. This heat recovery can reduce energy consumption, saving manufacturers money while keeping the process sustainable.
Improving Your Vegetable Processing Operation
Frozen vegetable manufacturers need to focus on efficiency, quality, and safety. At Enerquip, we specialize in designing and fabricating shell and tube heat exchangers for almost any process. Talk to our team of engineers today to find the perfect solution for your vegetable processing operation.