What happens to nutrients during the freezing process?

When food is frozen, the preservation of nutrients largely depends on the food's preparation before freezing. Blanching is a process where fruits or vegetables are briefly boiled and then plunged into ice water. This method is done to inactivate enzymes that can cause deterioration and loss of nutrients over time. While blanching can indeed lead to some nutrient losses, freezing itself generally preserves most vitamins and minerals, allowing them to remain intact for a longer duration compared to other preservation methods.

Freezing slows down the growth of microorganisms and the activities of enzymes that may degrade quality and nutrients over time. Thus, when considering the impact of freezing alone without the blanching step, it becomes evident that nutrients are largely well-preserved. Therefore, the statement that none are damaged, but blanching can cause losses accurately reflects the reality of nutrient retention during freezing, making it the correct answer.

In contrast, the other choices misrepresent the effects of freezing. It's incorrect to say that vitamins are completely destroyed because freezing generally maintains nutrient levels. The idea that nutrients become enhanced is misleading, as freezing does not inherently increase nutrient content; it simply preserves what is there. Additionally, the assertion that only carbohydrates are affected fails to acknowledge that vitamins and minerals can also be influenced by processing methods