Maximizing the Nutritional Value of Fruits & Vegetables

Review of literature on nutritional value of produce compares fresh, frozen, and canned products and indicates areas for further research.

Food Technology Magazine | Article

Diane M. Barrett

Interest in the nutritional value of fruits and vegetables has been increasing, in part because of recent findings on the high level of obesity and other diet-related health problems in children and in part because of increased federal support of programs funding consumption of fresh and processed fruit and vegetable products.

Birds Eye Steamfresh™ and other brands of frozen vegetables provide both preparation convenience and extended shelf life. Although freezing and canning may reduce the nutritive value of fruits and vegetables to a degree, they extend the length of time they are available. Once the products are processed, nutritive losses in the canned or frozen products are minimal if the products are stored and handled appropriately.The following discussion is based in part on a review by Rickman et al. (2007a, b) of recent literature on the nutritional value of fresh, canned, and frozen fruits and veg…

Table 2. Cumulative losses in vitamin C due to fresh storage or processing and storage, followed by home cooking in all cases. Adapted from Rickman et al. (2007a).

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In This Article

  1. Food, Health and Nutrition
  2. Food Processing & Packaging
  3. Food Categories
  4. Fruits and Vegetables
  5. Food Categories
  6. Refrigerated and Frozen Foods

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