Can we freeze fruit?

Surely if we were to open the freezers in many households we could find a good stock of frozen meat or fish in them, as well as bags of deep-frozen vegetables. However, we are rarely used to freezing fruit.

In this regard, you have probably noticed that in supermarkets we can now find fruit in the frozen food section.

If we want to carry out this process at home, it is important to follow some guidelines depending on the type of fruit we want to freeze.

Which fruits should I freeze?

It is important to know that not all fruits are ideal for freezing, either because of their composition or because of how thawing can affect the fruit itself.

Therefore, fruits such as apples, red fruits, citrus fruits, even grapes or figs, as well as pineapple and mango, due to their own composition, are the ones that best withstand this freezing process.

On the other hand, fruits that contain a high percentage of water in their composition, such as watermelon or melon, are not suitable for freezing, since their water content will cause crystals to form that will break the fibres of the fruit when thawed, thus spoiling it.

How should we freeze fruit?

Once the fruit to be frozen has been selected, it must be washed and dried. It is very important that the fruit is well dried to avoid the formation of crystals due to freezing.

In the case of medium or large fruits, it is highly advisable to cut them before freezing, as well as to remove the stone if there is one.

To freeze them, place the fruit or pieces on a tray and leave space between them, so that they do not stick together when they are frozen. Once on the tray, put them in the freezer.

The maximum recommended storage time for frozen fruit is about 8-10 months.

Is there a process for thawing the fruit?

Depending on how we are going to or plan to consume the frozen fruit, the following should be taken into account.

In general, it is not advisable to leave them at room temperature. To help them maintain all their properties, it is best to let the fruit thaw in the fridge, although the process is slower.

This fruit may be used as part of a recipe or preparation. In this case, we can use it directly, even frozen.