Freeze Injury - Vegetables

Symptoms of freezing injury on vegetables.

Artichoke: Epidermis be comes detached and forms whitish to light tan blisters. When blisters are broken, underlying tissue turns brown.

Asparagus: Tip becomes limp and dark; the rest of the spear is water-soaked. Thawed spears become mushy.

Beet: External and internal water-soaking; sometimes blackening of conducting tissue.

Broccoli: The youngest florets in the center of the curd are most sensitive to freezing injury. They turn brown and give off strong odors upon thawing.

Cabbage: Leaves become water-soaked, translucent, and limp upon thawing; epidermis separates.

Carrot: Blistered ap pearance, jag ed length-wise cracks. Interior becomes water-soaked and darkened upon thawing.

Cauliflower: Curds turn brown and have a strong off-odor when cooked.

Celery: Leaves and petioles appear wilted and water-soaked upon thawing. Petioles freeze more readily than leaves.

Garlic: Thawed cloves ap pear grayish-yellow and water-soaked.

Lettuce: Blistering; dead cells of the separated epidermis on outer leaves be come tan; increased sus- ceptibility to physical damage and decay.

Onion: Thawed bulbs are soft, grayish-yellow, and water-soaked in cross section; often limited to individual scales.

Pepper, bell: Dead, water-soaked tissue in part or all of pericarp surface; pitting, shriveling, and decay follow thawing.

Potato: Freezing injury may not be externally evident, but shows as gray or bluish-gray atches beneath the sink. Thawed tubers become soft and watery.

Radish: Thawed tissues appear translucent; roots soften and shrivel.

Sweet potato: A yellowish-brown discoloration of the vascular ring, and a yellowish-green water-soaked appearance of other tissues. Roots soften and become very susceptible to decay.

Tomato: Water soaked and soft upon thawing. In partially frozen fruits, the margin between healthy and dead tissue is distinct, especially in green fruits.

Turnip: Small water-soaked spots or pitting on the surface. Injured tissues appear tan or gray and give off an objectionable odor.