Cultivation

Freezing suitability of Vaccinium

Vaccinium L.

The suitability of Vaccinium fruits for freezing is determined by their ability to maintain structural integrity, waxy coating, and biochemical composition at low temperatures.

In the reference 6 varieties crop Bilberry, where this is mentioned in the description.

The freezing suitability of the genus Vaccinium is determined by the genetic characteristics of the cultivar, which dictate the preservation of appearance, weight loss magnitude, and the volume of cell sap released after thawing. The primary technological challenge is the high moisture content of the berries, which, upon the formation of ice crystals, damages cell walls, causing pectin depolymerization by enzymes and subsequent loss of turgor.

Despite structural damage, Vaccinium fruits possess high antioxidant stability due to their content of anthocyanins and phenolic compounds. The key criteria for evaluating cultivar suitability are the retention of color and the integrity of the waxy layer, with optimal storage periods varying significantly depending on the specific species, for instance, reaching 270 days for Vaccinium praestans.

General information about the subject — on the page Suitability for freezing.

Sources7

Varieties of Bilberry mentioned in the description

Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.