Frozen Mixed Vegetables (IQF 3, 4 and 5-Way Blends)

IQF blends of peas, sweet corn, diced carrot and cut green beans, in stated proportions

Frozen mixed vegetables are a blend, and the offer is only comparable when the recipe is written down. Each component is prepared, blanched and IQF-frozen on its own line and the frozen pieces are then mixed by weight, so the buyer states the components, the cut of each and the proportion. The classic blend is green peas, sweet corn kernels, diced carrot and cut green beans, often in equal quarters; the US grade standards for frozen mixed vegetables (effective 29 August 2013) recommend carrots diced predominantly 3/8 to 1/2 inch, green beans cut predominantly 1/2 to 1 1/2 inch, golden whole kernel corn and early or sweet peas, and set the proportions: in a three-vegetable mix no component above 40% by weight, in a four-vegetable mix none below 8% or above 35%, and in a five-vegetable mix none below 8% or above 30%. Each component is then judged against its own quality factors - pea sieve size and tenderness, corn kernel defects, carrot dice size, bean cut - and the blend for colour and uniformity. Product is IQF and free-flowing, so a kitchen can pour a portion without thawing a block, and the Codex general standard for quick frozen vegetables (CXS 320-2015) requires the thermal centre to reach -18 °C and the product to stay at -18 °C or colder through the cold chain. Because a blend combines crops from several fields and lines, buyers look hardest at the residue results against the destination's maximum residue limits (for the EU, Regulation (EC) No 396/2005) and at Listeria control after blanching and at the blending and packing stage.

UN Comtrade 2024 export declarations under HS 0710.90 (mixtures of vegetables, frozen) total USD 1.12 billion and about 754,000 MT across 86 reporters. Belgium dominates with USD 377 million and 286,100 MT at an average USD 1,316/MT, followed by Spain (USD 108 million, 75,700 MT), China (USD 77 million, 75,200 MT at USD 1,020/MT), Egypt (USD 72 million, 50,000 MT at USD 1,447/MT), Mexico (USD 70 million, 35,100 MT), Poland (USD 54 million, 39,300 MT), the Netherlands (USD 48 million), France (USD 41 million), the USA and Canada (USD 35 million each), Serbia (USD 8 million, 6,700 MT), India (USD 7 million) and Türkiye (USD 4 million). The buyer is a foodservice distributor, a ready-meal, fried-rice or soup manufacturer, a supermarket private-label desk or an importer-wholesaler supplying caterers. CBIL is a commodity brokerage company and brokers IQF mixed vegetables from freezers in Belgium, Spain, China, Egypt, Mexico, Poland, the Netherlands, France, the USA, Canada, Serbia, Türkiye and India against the processor's recipe sheet and certificate of analysis for proportions, defects, pesticide residues and microbiology, the plant's BRCGS or IFS certificate, a halal certificate per lot where the destination requires one, a certificate of origin, a health certificate from the origin authority and a phytosanitary certificate where the destination's rules call for one. Retail bags, 10 kg catering cartons or 20 kg bulk cartons move in 40-ft high-cube reefers at -18 °C on FOB, CFR and CIF terms, with the shelf life stated by the processor, commonly up to 24 months at -18 °C. Send the components, cut sizes, proportions, pack, volume and discharge port, and the enquiry is screened and worked against it.

Excluded origins are not offered, including product re-exported, blended or re-processed through a third country. Every lot moves with a certificate of origin naming the producing plant, mine or grower country, and nothing is quoted before the seller and loading point are known.