Frozen vegetables

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for the production of a frozen vegetable or part thereof, wherein said process comprises the steps: (i) heat-treating a vegetable or part thereof; (ii) under-cooling to a maximum core temperature of less than or equal to −5° C.; (iii) reducing the core temperature to less than or equal to −18° C.; The invention also provides a frozen vegetable or part thereof comprising a core ice content, characterised in that at least 40% of said core ice content is located within a plurality of cellular structures, wherein the perimeter of each cellular structure is defined by a cell wall.

1 - 4 . (canceled)  
     
     
         5 . A frozen vegetable or part thereof comprising a core ice content, characterised in that at least 40% of said core ice content is located within a plurality of cellular structures, wherein each cellular structure has a perimeter that is defined by a cell wall.  
     
     
         6 . A frozen vegetable or part thereof according to  claim 5 , wherein said vegetable or part thereof is selected from the group consisting of potato, carrot, swede, turnip, pumpkin, onion, broccoli, tomato, zucchini, aubergine, water chestnut and spinach.  
     
     
         7 . A frozen vegetable or part thereof according to  claim 5  wherein said vegetable or part thereof is potato.  
     
     
         8 . A frozen meal comprising a vegetable or part thereof according to  claim 5 .  
     
     
         9 . Use of a vegetable according to  claim 5  in a frozen meal.  
     
     
         10 . A frozen vegetable or part thereof according to  claim 5 , wherein said vegetable or part thereof has a surface and a core, and wherein said frozen vegetable or part thereof is made by a process comprising: 
 (i) heat-treating the vegetable or part thereof, so as to destroy cell membranes within the vegetable or part thereof;    (ii) under-cooling the vegetable or part thereof to a maximum core temperature of less than or equal to −5° C.;    (iii) reducing the temperature of the core of the vegetable or part thereof to less than or equal to −18° C.    
     
     
         11 . A frozen vegetable or part thereof according to  claim 10 , wherein under-cooling is carried out at a cooling rate that maintains a maximum temperature and a minimum temperature between the surface and the core within 6° C. of each other.