Fresh fruits and vegetables may seem like the obvious choice in the produce aisle, but a food science expert says frozen and canned options can also be nutritious choices.

Shannon Combust, an assistant professor and extension specialist in the Department of Food Science and Technology at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, said the most significant differences between fresh, frozen and canned produce often come down to processing, texture and appearance - not whether the food is healthy.

Fresh produce is generally defined as food that has not gone through thermal processing, Combust said.