Briefs: Frozen vegetables more nutritious than fresh?

According to a study conducted by the Institute of Food Research (UK) on behalf of frozen food giant Birds Eye, frozen vegetables can be more nutritious than supposedly fresh supermarket produce. Fresh vegetables can lose up to 45% of important nutrients by the time they reach the dinner table. 80% of shoppers believe the fresh vegetables sold in supermarkets are less than 4 days old. In fact, they can be up to 9 days old when they arrive at the supermarket, and remain on the shelf for a further 4 days. Including the time these vegetables are stored at home before being eaten, these "fresh" items can be over 16 days old. The study found that green beans can lose on average 45% of nutrients over a time interval of 11-15 days from field to plate, broccoli and cauliflower 25% (6-16 days), garden peas 15% (8-10 days), and carrots 10% (9-10 days). By contrast, produce frozen close to the point of harvest maintains a higher level of many vitamins and nutrients. The key nutrients the vegetables contain are vitamin C and glucosinates, which are said to block the development of cancer.