New nutritional data from UC Davis challenges the assumption that fresh produce automatically retains superior vitamin levels. In a rigorous controlled laboratory analysis, researchers measured vitamin C content across eight common produce items and found striking results: three out of eight commodities contained measurably higher vitamin C concentrations in their frozen form compared to fresh samples, while the remaining five showed statistically equivalent levels.
This unexpected finding extends beyond vitamin C. The same pattern emerged for vitamin E, where frozen produce matched or exceeded fresh alternatives across all tested items. The research team, led by Dr. Ali Bouzari, measured nutrients at multiple storage time points, providing unprecedented precision in the fresh versus frozen comparison. These data suggest that the rapid freezing process, which occurs immediately after harvest, effectively halts nutrient degradation—a distinct advantage over fresh produce that may spend days in transit and storage before reaching consumers.
Read the full article on GMJ Newsroom.
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