Yes, of course mini kiwis can be frozen, just like other soft fruits; however, as they are climacteric fruit, it is recommended to freeze them when they are fully ripe rather than when they are still green. Freezing organic mini kiwis is an ideal way to preserve all their properties and benefits once the harvest season ends in September. When kiwiberries are frozen correctly, they can be kept in the freezer for 8 to 10 months in optimal condition.
Furthermore, thanks to the design of our cardboard tubs, you can place the kiwiños directly into the freezer, taking up very little space. However, as these are die-cut cardboard tubs, it is not advisable to keep the mini kiwis in them in the freezer for more than 1 or 2 months. For longer freezing periods, it is preferable to transfer the kiwiños to a Tupperware-style container, sealable bags or any airtight glass or plastic container.
Mini kiwis have a very short harvesting season, lasting barely a month and a half; therefore, freezing them is a great way to enjoy them all year round. Here in Asturias, we harvest our organic mini kiwis from early August to mid-September.
At Arándanos el Cierrón, we have been freezing blueberries and all kinds of red berries for over 30 years. We wait until the end of the season to freeze them so that we can continue to enjoy them over the coming months in desserts, smoothies or any other form of preparation.
Mini kiwis, kiwiños or kiwiberries can be frozen just like any other red berry, withstanding freezing periods of up to 10 months without any problem, allowing us to benefit from their incredible properties all year round.
Here are some recommendations for freezing mini kiwis or kiwiberries:
. Use shallow containers, such as our tubs, which prevent the mini kiwis from piling up too much, so that when you freeze them, they won’t form large clumps, which are really awkward to deal with when you defrost them.
. Before freezing the kiwiños, check for any broken ones that might leak or stain the rest of the fruit; this will prevent the pulp inside the mini kiwi from turning to ice and acting as a glue, forming those annoying clumps of frozen fruit.
. For long freezing periods of more than 2 or 3 months, it is advisable to use airtight glass or plastic containers, so that the mini kiwis are not damaged by the freezing air in the freezer.
By following these tips, you’ll be able to enjoy your frozen kiwiberries for months. On the other hand, there are other frequently asked questions about freezing kiwiberries, which are as follows:
Should I wash the mini kiwis before freezing them?
No, it isn’t necessary. Just as we’ve already explained that there’s no need to wash our organic blueberries before eating them fresh, it’s also not necessary to wash organic kiwiberries before putting them in the freezer.
In the case of conventional mini kiwis, and especially those from outside Spain, it is advisable to wash the fruit for safety reasons. However, it is very important not to freeze them whilst wet, as they will be damaged and become mushy, and other problems such as mould may even arise. So, by buying organic mini kiwis, you avoid these problems.
When is the best time to freeze mini kiwis?
We must wait until the mini kiwis are ripe before freezing them, as, like all climacteric fruit, they are harvested green at the plantation to extend their shelf life. If we freeze them as soon as they arrive at home whilst they are still green, their skin will still be noticeable when we eat them, and once thawed, they won’t taste good nor will they give the flavour they should to our desserts or other dishes.
Therefore, when you receive your kiwiños at home, wait a few days for them to reach their peak of ripeness, at which point they begin to soften and their skin starts to wrinkle; from this moment onwards, they will be perfect for putting in the freezer for several months.
Can I freeze fully ripe mini kiwis?
Yes, but it’s not the best idea, as when the mini kiwis are fully ripe, they become very soft and break very easily. Therefore, it’s very likely that when you freeze them, the juice will leak out of the flesh and form clumps of mini kiwis once frozen, which are extremely awkward to defrost and separate. That is why it is better not to wait until they are fully ripe, as they will be just as tasty a few days earlier, but they won’t break or release their juice so easily.
Should I peel the mini kiwis before freezing them?
No, not at all. When mini kiwis are ripe, their skin is barely noticeable, so there is no need to peel them before freezing, nor afterwards. If we freeze the green mini kiwis, we may notice the skin when eating them straight from the freezer, but it will never be necessary to remove the skin, which is full of beneficial properties.
Do frozen mini kiwis lose their properties?
No, not at all. If we freeze the mini kiwis straight away, without boiling them or subjecting them to any prior treatment, there will be no change in their nutrient and antioxidant content. So we can freeze the mini kiwis for several months and continue to enjoy all their properties and benefits.
In the case of extremely long freezing periods exceeding a year, the content of some antioxidants or nutrients could vary significantly, although to date, there are no studies that demonstrate this with absolute certainty. Recent studies have found that, in many of the cases analysed, frozen products had a higher concentration of nutrients than fresh products, due to frequent breaks in the cold chain in the fresh fruit analysed.
Do defrosted mini kiwis go soft?
Yes, that’s right. Any fruit that is frozen, including mini kiwis, never regains the same firmness and consistency it had when fresh. When mini kiwis are frozen, the water inside them turns into ice crystals, causing them to expand in size. When they thaw, these ice crystals return to their liquid form and thus to their original size; this is why the skin loses its firmness and they become softer.
So how do you defrost mini kiwis properly?
When defrosting mini kiwis and wanting to preserve their texture as much as possible, you should do so in the fridge overnight. This ensures the defrosting process is slower and more gradual, helping the mini kiwis retain their firmness.
It is never recommended to defrost mini kiwis directly at room temperature, unless you are going to eat them straight away, as otherwise they will lose their texture very quickly.
Can I eat a frozen mini kiwi?
Yes, of course. Moreover, thanks to their small size, they defrost very quickly and will be ready to eat in just a few minutes, whilst maintaining a cool temperature. This makes them very refreshing and delicious in hot weather, and they are also ideal as an accompaniment to desserts.
Prepared and written by Adrián García Villar, Agricultural Engineer from the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM). Membership No. 215, Official Association of Agricultural Engineers of the Principality of Asturias (COIASTUR)
WhatsApp Business +34 684 665 213
Email -> info@arandanoselcierron.com
Website -> www.arandanoselcierron.com/ ;
YouTube channel -> www.youtube.com/arandanoselcierron ;
Facebook -> www.facebook.com/arandanoselcierron ;
Nursery location -> g.page/arandanoselcierron?share ;
References:
Photo: Mini kiwi semifreddo with chocolate emulsion, created by Gastrobar Destápate
Mini kiwi semifreddo with chocolate emulsion, created by Gastrobar Destápate
Filip Debersaques, Piotr Latocha, Jonas Decorte, (2019).