What is blanching in vegetables and fruits?
Blanching is the process of preservation in food industry. In this process food is immersed in boiling water or steam for a definite period of time. The temperature and time vary from vegetable to vegetable but generally ranges from 70 to 100°C for 2-15 minutes. It is then quickly followed by cooling in a very cold ice water. Blanching helps in deactivation of enzymes which cause loss of flavour, color and texture. It is widely practiced method for preservation of vegetables and fruits.