Why IQF?
IQF provides consistent farm fresh flavor year-round with 100% yield.
What is IQF?
IQF stands for “individually quick-frozen,” a technology developed in the early 20th century that flash-freezes separate food particles using sub-zero circulating air. This process largely preserves color, texture, nutrients and flavor—resulting in frozen, free-flowing ingredients that are easy to handle with extended shelf life. IQF products are widely used across retail, foodservice and food manufacturing industries.
As a pioneer of IQF, SupHerb Farms has been individually quick-freezing IQF herbs, IQF specialty vegetables and herb-vegetable blends since 1992. We have perfected a technique of IQF freezing that delivers exceptional quality, free-flowing product, farm fresh flavor, vibrant color and outstanding texture.
How the IQF Freezing Process Works – Herbs and Vegetables
- Fresh herbs and vegetables are harvested at peak ripeness.
- Produce is cleaned and prepared for processing.
- Ingredient pieces are ejected onto a belt inside a sub-zero freezing tunnel.
- Individual herb and vegetable pieces rapidly pass through extremely cold, circulating air.
- Ingredient pieces freeze individually, with minimal clumping.
- Product is packaged and stored as free-flowing, ready-to-use IQF ingredients.
Benefits of IQF Herbs and Vegetables
- Preserves fresh color and flavor year-round
- Eliminates time-consuming prep time—no washing, chopping or trimming
- Ensures foodservice recipe and manufacturer formula consistency
- Delivers 100% yield with zero waste
- Extends shelf-life to 2-4 years vs. the 3-10 day shelf-life of fresh
- Maintains vitamins, minerals and antioxidants
Comparison Chart
| Factor |
IQF (Individually Quick Frozen) |
Fresh Herbs and Vegetables | Dry Herbs and Vegetables |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shelf Life | High in flavor Frozen to lock freshness in with IQF technology |
Challenging Whole: Several Days / Cut: Hours |
Very long |
| Yield | 100% usable yield | 25-50% trim loss | 100% usable yield |
| Color Vibrancy | High in colorIQCube technology locks in color and flavor | Extremely high in color | Very little color |
| Food Safety | SQF Level 3 Certified |
High Risk Introduce micro risks (especially fresh) |
Low-Micro |
| Pest Impact | None | High Risk (insects) | None |
| Back-of-House Safety |
Back-of-House Safe (eliminates knives and cutting boards) |
Dangerous (high risk from knives) | Back-of-House Safe |
| Consistency |
Very Consistent (controlled flavor, color lot consistency) |
High Variability (ex color, flavor & size) | Consistent |
| Availability | Year-round |
Varying Relies on seasons |
Year-round |
| Handling |
Easy (no cuttings: heat & serve; saves labor costs) |
Difficult Requires Skill (time-consuming, manual process) |
Very Easy |
| Nutritional Value |
High Nutritional Value Largely preserved (micro-nutrients) |
Degrades immediately after harvesting | Significant loss in nutritional value |
Save time, money and labor while enhancing your products and dishes with farm fresh flavor.
Individual Quick-Frozen (IQF) ingredients are achieved by harvesting fresh herbs or vegetables at peak ripeness, then rapidly passing through sub-zero air. This flash-freezing process gently preserves volatile flavor oils and results in free-flowing, easy-to-handle product with extended shelf-life.
Farm Fresh Flavor Year-Round
IQF has become the industry standard, which has changed consumers’ perception of frozen food. It is now valued for what it is – farm fresh flavor year-round.
The IQF process freezes our herbs and vegetables without creating large ice crystals that can rupture cell walls and damage the authentic structure. This maintains the product’s integrity, preserving the natural taste as well as the nutritional content, including all the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
The result is an all-natural product featuring 100% yield and no waste with year-round availability. IQF Culinary Herbs and Specialty Vegetables are ready-to-serve and offer consistent farm fresh flavor with no preparation time.
FAQs
What does IQF stand for?
IQF stands for Individually Quick-Frozen. This method flash-freezes individual pieces of herbs and vegetables separately, preventing large ice crystals, preserving quality, and ensuring a free-flowing product rather than a solid block.
Is IQF the same as flash freezing?
IQF is a type of flash freezing. While flash freezing refers broadly to any rapid freezing method at sub-zero temperatures, IQF is a specific method that freezes each piece individually (using circulating air), so the resulting product remains free-flowing after packaging rather than clumping together.
Are IQF herbs as good as fresh?
SupHerb Farms’ IQF herbs are as close to fresh as possible—delivering authentic flavor without the challenges of fresh supply. Harvested at peak ripeness and frozen within hours, our process locks in volatile oils, vibrant color, and nutrition for consistent, farm fresh flavor year-round. Unlike fresh herbs, IQF offers convenience, 100% yield, and reliable performance with no prep, no waste, and year-round availability.
How long do IQF herbs last?
IQF herbs can last up to 4 years without compromising quality, flavor or performance when maintained in their original, unopened packaging, and kept frozen at or below 0°F. This extended shelf-life is a major advantage compared to fresh herbs, which have a shelf-life of 3-5 days on average.
What is the difference between IQF and block frozen?
IQF freezes each herb and vegetable piece individually, keeping it loose and free-flowing for easy handling and portioning. Block frozen product is frozen as one solid mass, making it hard to separate and use only what is needed, resulting in waste and added labor.
Do IQF herbs need to be thawed before use?
No, IQF herbs do not need to be thawed before use. For best results, use them straight from the freezer—adding directly to your dish or hot pan to maintain their free-flowing texture and farm fresh flavor. This speed-scratch format makes portioning easy and eliminates prep entirely. Simply reseal and return any remaining product to the freezer immediately to maintain quality and shelf-life.
What temperature does IQF freezing use?
IQF freezing uses very low, sub-zero temperatures—typically around -30°F to -40°F (-34°C to -40°C)—to rapidly freeze products. This speed quickly moves ingredients through the critical crystallization zone (approximately 30°F to 25°F), preventing large ice crystals from forming and helping preserve cell structure, texture, flavor, color and nutrition.
Are IQF herbs natural and preservative-free?
Yes, IQF herbs are natural and preservative-free. They’re preserved using rapid cold air alone—no sulphites, brines or artificial additives. IQF herbs are a clean-label solution for foodservice and manufacturing.