batch packs for ease of handling in a
manufacturing or food service setting.
Purchasing Tips. Today there are a
variety of IQF herbs available in organic including basil, cilantro, regular
and Italian parsley, tarragon, oregano
and sage. Quality, however, can vary
depending on when the herb is
picked and processed. Herbs should
be harvested during peak season and
cooled and frozen within a few hours
of picking. This process results in
product with consistent flavor, color,
microbial stability and pricing
throughout the year, Ratner said.
Processing among IQF companies
can also vary. While most cut and de-stem the herbs prior to freezing,
some, like Van Drunen, freeze the
whole herb and then cut off the stem,
which Zylstra said, “locks in the flavor.” Also find out how the herbs are
sanitized. In some cases the herbs
don’t even need to be blanched.
Some herbs, such as basil, are a little
more challenging. “If having the
bright green color is important, then
go with blanched,” Zylstra said. “This
process prevents it from blackening.”
If you are looking for whole-leaf
herbs like basil you will need to pay
for hand labor, but a wide variety of
cuts are available ranging from 1”
down to 1/16”. While some herbs,
such as garlic, are fairly easy to freeze,
others are very delicate and require
expertise to properly process. With
this in mind, make sure you inquire
about the supplier’s experience with
each particular herb.
Keeping IQF herbs at a constant
temperature is also a challenge. IQF
herbs can clump and mat from repeated freeze-thaw cycles. This is a
telltale sign they have been mishandled in distribution. Handling during
processing is important as well. “They
must be kept frozen until ready to
use,” Ratner said. “If left out, they will
darken in color and present micro issues,” she said. “For best results, store
and use at - 5°F.”
Freeze-dried
The Basics. Freeze-drying an herb consists of removing the water
from the herb in a vacuum after it is flash-frozen. This avoids the heat
and/or evaporation that catalyze enzymatic and chemical reactions
and destroy certain components in the herb. Freeze-drying also does
not involve the use of alcohol, which many consumers find objectionable. This process does not usually cause shrinkage or toughening of
the material being dried. In addition, flavors and smells generally remain unchanged. “Freeze-dried herbs are so perfectly preserved that
they are biochemically identical to the fresh counterpart—all essential
