GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

Gill Matthews · 19-02-2007, 07:33 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening

In article , says...

"Robert" wrote in message
...
Richard_G wrote:
: "Bob Hobden" wrote in message
: ...
:
::: We don't for parsnips and we've never had food poisoning from them,
::: touch wood
:::
:: Good, that make the whole process much easier. I did wonder, as
:: Blanching is usually to preserve the colour of the fruit/veg, and as
:: Parsnips don't have much......
::
:
: We have tried freezing runner beans without blanching. To be honest
: there doesn't seem to be much difference in the taste or texture.
:
: Richard

We had a discussion about blanching last year (broad beans) and somebody
put
forward the point that unless blanching took place you could not be
completely safeguarded against food poisoning as even in freezer
conditions,
one type of bacteria(?) could multiply

Most references talk about breaking down enzymes rather than bacteria. But
on the occasions when we've not used blanching I've not noticed any
degradation. It would would be interesting to know what process the big
frozen food companies use.

AFAIK the purpose of blanching is to destroy enzymes which continue to change the
food biochemistry after it has been picked e.g. sugar is coverted into starch in
things like peas and sweetcorn. I dont think this process can be taking place in parsnips
because they still taste sweet quite a long time after they are dug out of the ground.

I think you must be mistaken about blanching for hygeine because it is unlikely to kill a
bacteria population. This is why sterilisation involves boiling for 15-20 mins and all the
flash heat treatments such as UHT use very much higher temps.

Gill M