The purpose of this study is to monitor the pesticide residues in frozen fruits and vegetables distributed and sold in online and offline markets in Korea. For the study, 107 samples of 34 types of frozen fruits and vegetables were examined, and a total of 341 pesticide residues were analyzed by using multiclass pesticide multiresidue methods of the Korean Food Code. As a result, pesticide residues were detected from 16 of 64 frozen fruits samples and 15 of 43 frozen vegetables samples. Conclusively, residues were detected from 31 samples in total, showing a detection rate of 29.0%. Specifically, pyridaben exceeded the Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) based on the Positive list system (PLS) in one of the frozen radish leaves, and the violation rate was 0.9%. Detection on frozen fruits and vegetables was made 23 times for 11 types and 36 times for 21 types. In total, 28 types of pesticide residues were detected 59 times. Fungicides were detected the most in frozen fruits, while insecticides were detected the most in frozen vegetables. The most detected pesticides were the insecticide, acaricide chlorfenapyr (5) and the fungicide boscalid (5). Chlorfenapyr was detected only in frozen vegetables, and boscalid was detected in frozen fruits except one.

This study was conducted to assess the possibility of preserving frozen vegetables (Aster scaber, soybean sprouts, Chinese cabbage, green pumpkin, and Welsh onion) for a long period and of using them after such storage by measuring changes in quality due to their preservation. Various freshly harvested vegetables were blanched under optimal conditions (that were determined in a preliminary experiment), quick-frozen at –40℃ for 24 h, and stored at –20℃. The change in the chromaticity of the frozen A. scaber, soybean sprouts, Chinese cabbage, green pumpkin, and Welsh onion did not vary. The hardness of the frozen A. scaber, green pumpkin, Chinese cabbage and Welsh onion did not change during the preservation period, whereas the hardness of the cotyledon and hypocotyl of the soybean sprouts significantly increased on the sixth month of their storage. The total bacterial counts of the A. scaber during the preservation period remained constant at 103 CFU/g, whereas those of soybean sprouts, Chinese cabbage, green pumpkin, and Welsh onion decreased slightly to 102 CFU/g. Coliform was not detected in any of the samples. The sensory evaluation showed that the preservation period that was used in this study did not significantly affect the marketability of the frozen vegetables. Therefore, it was considered that A. scaber, soybean sprouts, Chinese cabbage, green pumpkin, and Welsh onion can be safely preserved by freeze-storing them for up to 12 months.