Freeze-thawing Conditions to Produce High Quality Bokbunja (Rubus occidentalis)

To date, the quality and safety of frozen bokbunja have not been clearly assessed. To produce high-quality frozen bokbunja, the optimal freeze-thaw conditions need to be explored. The most popular cultivar (Rubus occidentalis) in Korea was selected for this study. To determine the changes in the quality of frozen R. occidentalis berries, different freezing temperatures were used. The berries were frozen at −20, −45, and −70oC immediately after harvest. The drip ratio, hardness, pH, sugar content, color, and anthocyanidin content of the frozen and thawed samples were analyzed. The drip ratio, sugar content, and hardness of the berries correlated significantly with the freezing temperatures. The color and pH of the berries were not significantly affected by the freezing conditions. Frozen leaks between cells reduced significantly with decreasing temperatures. The freeze-thawing process significantly reduced the total aerobic bacteria and inhibited the growth of yeast/mold in the berries to about 2 log scales.