What is the purpose of blanching vegetables?

Blanching vegetables is primarily done to preserve their color, texture, and nutritional value. When vegetables are blanched, they are briefly cooked in boiling water, which helps to set their color and deactivate enzymes that can cause loss of flavor, color, and texture during freezing or storage. This quick cooking process also helps maintain the vitamins and minerals in the vegetables by minimizing the time they are exposed to high heat.

While enhancing flavor, eliminating bacteria, and adding sweetness are important aspects of food processing and cooking, they are not the main purposes of blanching. The process does not focus on enhancing flavor directly, nor is its primary goal to eliminate bacteria since a more thorough cooking process is generally necessary for that. Additionally, blanching does not contribute to the sweetness of vegetables; rather, it serves to prepare them for freezing or further cooking while maintaining their quality. Hence, preserving color and nutritional value is the most accurate description of the blanching process.