Where do frozen peas come from?
Bird’s Eye, which has been freezing peas since 1946, sells 50 per cent of the frozen peas in our shops. Virtually all its pea produce is grown in Britain (only a shortage will see the company import from New Zealand) and the business supports 380 individual farmers. With a turnover of £50 million a year, Bird’s Eye – now part of Unilever – is essential to our rural economy. It does not pack own-brand peas for supermarkets and its corporate openness makes it a safe choice for consumers keen to buy peas with British provenance. How are frozen peas processed? Bird’s Eye peas are harvested from June to August and are picked with machines that shell and clean the peas. At the factory, a sample of each batch is tested with a “tenderometer”, before being put before a taste panel to check for sweetness. The peas are then blanched in water at 90C for 60 seconds, cooled and then blast-frozen in a tunnel at -25C. The freezing conveyor-belt has a bouncing motion, keeping the peas apart. Although s
