My friend Steve called me in a panic. Seems he and his girlfriend are divided over one important issue. He (a chef) always selects fresh produce for his cooking. She says frozen is better. "Can you help us?" he asks.

Yes ... no ... maybe. Here are the pros and cons of this matter from food technology experts:

Fresh•

Pro: Superior taste, color and texture ... by far. Retains the most nutrients when picked at height of ripeness, washed quickly, prepared and eaten with minimal cutting, cooking and exposure to air.•

Con: Does not reach full nutrient potential if harvested too early. Loses nutrients if harvested too late. Can lose more than half its original nutrient value if kept in the refrigerator for generations or cooked in too much water. Can be a source of harmful bacteria if not handled properly.

Frozen•

Pro: Usually harvested when fully ripe to accumulate full store of nutrients. Minimal nutrient losses if stored and cooked properly. Whole frozen strawberries, for example, retain their original vitamin C content for a year in the freezer. Similar in fiber and mineral content to fresh produce. Freezing slows the growth of bacteria and enzymes that cause food to spoil.•

Con: Quickly loses nutrients such as vitamin C if not kept solidly frozen (at least 0 degrees F.). Some nutrients are lost when food is washed, trimmed or blanched (dipped in hot water) before freezing. Cut-up frozen fruit or vegetables lose more nutrients (such as vitamin C) than those that are frozen whole.

Canned•

Pro: Heat processing makes some nutrients more digestible and destroys microorganisms (bad bacteria). Some nutritional substances are rendered more available to the body by the canning process. For example, heat processing (canning) enhances the availability of lycopene, lutein and beta carotene — valuable antioxidants in foods such as tomatoes, carrots, spinach, corn and pumpkin. Canned foods retain most of their mineral and fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K).•

Con: Much of the minerals and fat-soluble vitamins leach into the liquid during the canning process and are lost unless the liquid is consumed. Heat processing destroys vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin and vitamin C. Many canned foods contain high amounts of added sodium (salt).

Bottom lineStart with the freshest whole foods you can find and treat them respectfully. Don't banish them to long-term storage or drown them in water. Cut fresh fruit right before you eat it to reduce exposure to air, which destroys vitamin C. Whichever form you buy them in, cook vegetables quickly in as small amount of water as possible."When properly processed, packaged and stored, a given fruit or vegetable can be as healthful, or more so, than a fresh counterpart," say researchers from the University of Minnesota Department of Food Science and Nutrition.Now go in peace and enjoy your produce.Barbara Quinn is a registered dietitian. E-mail her at bquinnchomp.org.