# Freezing Avocados?



## dc sunshine (Feb 26, 2007)

There are some quite inexpensive avocados - Hass variety - on the market here at the moment and I'd like to take advantage of it, and am wondering if anyone has successfully frozen them?

Have googled it, and seems like they need to be pureed, add lemon juice, then pack with some head space.

Was wondering if the result is any good - anybody tried it? Is it worth doing? Or do they end up too mushy - like grating and freezing zucchinis?

Any comments appreciated 

DC


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## mattfin (Apr 16, 2007)

It looks like nobody is sure here, and I myself have no idea. But the food scientist in me says "if they're cheap, what do you have to lose by giving it a try?" 

I'd not only try that technique people mention, but I'd just throw a whole one in the freezer as well - just to see what happens. 

Either way, be sure to come back and tell us the results!


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## dc sunshine (Feb 26, 2007)

Fair comment Matt  Got nothing to lose - might even try slicing one and coating with lemon juice then freeze it flat - stay tuned!


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## ma facon (Dec 16, 2004)

I know one can buy avacado wedges IQF.


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## tolina (Oct 10, 2006)

as to the question "can whole avocado can be freezed."
when i tried freezing avocado it was destroyed. the texture was totally destroyed with grainy texture.


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## anneke (Jan 5, 2001)

You can buy frozen guacamole that isn't too bad. Doesn't beat fresh, but it should be doable.


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## luc_h (Jun 6, 2007)

(empty)


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

I just bought avacado puree in a 5# bag.....was actually really good.....worth using again.


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## salliem (Nov 3, 2006)

I have bought IQF avacados at GFS and they pretty good..(and they are Haas)..the flavor is true to what a Haas taste like fresh. They are peeled and pitted..I would at least give it a try.


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## mikelm (Dec 23, 2000)

It ain't easy to freeze avocados. 

About 40 years ago I knew a rancher in Santa Barbara who was a Director of CalAvo, the marketing association. He told me they were beating their brains out trying to freeze them to lengthen the selling season. They had to maintain the color, texture, and flavor.

I think they finally figured out that flash freezing with liquid nitrogen was the only way to meet these goals. You can't do this at home.

Trader Joe's has a frozen and also a refrigerated guacamole which are pretty good, especially if you dress it up with some diced onion and the like.

I guess they have got it fairly well worked out.

Mike


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

Calavo is the avacado puree I bought at Restaurant Depot....it was 3# @ $6...took a chance and won. This shtuff is just great. One of the buyers said they did a tasting with a couple latino guys with this frozen and some fresh.....they could not tell the difference. I like having it in the freezer for quick guacamole....gotta be cheaper than buying fresh avacados in most cases.


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## luc_h (Jun 6, 2007)

Hey Shroom,

I wonder if any ingredient tricks are used in that product or is it only a freezing technique. Can you please post the ingredients?

Luc H


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

will do, it's at the kitchen and I'll post tonight.


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

dangit, left it on the counter on the way out.....was mopping, rushed out to see a movie with a friend and didn't go by that door.

But it was Calavo, Hass Avacados, sugar, salt. polysorbi....something or other, Citric acid, onions are at the end of the list, several other things in the middle but that was the initial 4 ingredients. Good stuff.


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## thetincook (Jun 14, 2002)

Luc H, I think that they use a sort of High Pressure High Temp pastaurization process with the bagged avocado pulp. Except, I can't find anything to back that up. Ah, well.

I love the stuff! It is way more consistent then whole avocados, and it's never ever been watery. They even have "plain" which I prefer.

The only bad thing is that the shape is completly destroyed during packing.


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## thetincook (Jun 14, 2002)

AHA!! I found it!

This is the tech I was talking about Ultra High Pressure Processing You can use it at low temps.

Calavo uses it on there refridgerated/not frozen gauc and avocado products.


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## luc_h (Jun 6, 2007)

Hi Tincook,
I know about HPP and it's limitations with spores.
Avocado puree is definitely an ideal medium for this technology but the fruit still has to be <prepared> to prevent it from blackening during the waiting time before processing. That is the part I am interested in. Polysorbate, for example, may help prevent the fat from separating out during the freezing process

Shroom,
I am still interested in knowing the exact ingredients and in order. I would appreciate it albeit for personal curiosity sake.

Luc H


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## thetincook (Jun 14, 2002)

Here's the product page for Calavo

and here is the product page for Diversified Avocado Products

They both have the ingredient listings you were looking for. It seems that ascorbic acid and citric acid are the most common. As well as the other preservitives you mentioned. I was surprised that almost all of the products had xanthan gum and sodium alginate. It also seems that the more processed foods like guac are the ones that have potassium sorbate in them, which makes sense according to what you said.

BTW HPP also deactivates enzymes.


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## dc sunshine (Feb 26, 2007)

This discussion has got high tech! 

Ok the results are in after a week in the freezer....
Whole Avocado - yuk - total waste of a good avo. Gone to mush and fibre
Sliced - pretty much the same
Pureed with lemon juice - good, even better when you add in some fresh, then other guacamole ingredients, as per Luc's post.

Was well worth doing though - family thought I was mad, but hey, they don't eat them (I think THEY are mad!!) and I only like a half at a time. Was getting tired of wasting the other half.

Thanks everybody for your input 
Its been enlightening.

DC


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

thank you tincook.....I have frozen Chunky Avacado Pulp in my freezer....tried to cut and paste but the site wouldn't let me...techno wiz.


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