Abstract: A method of solid freezing tomatoes and forming them into solid members free of preservatives and adapted for cutting, shaping and placement into plastic bags. The method includes reducing the ambient temperature of the tomatoes to a freezing temperature of -30.degree. C., cracking the external membrane of the tomatoes by subjecting them to a temperature between 30.degree. C. to 35.degree. C. for a total temperature gradient of .DELTA.T equal to between 60.degree. C. to 65.degree. C. above the freezing temperature, by dipping the tomatoes into backwater supplied from a heat exchanger associated with a cooling device for supplying the low temperature cooling or freezing temperature of -30.degree. C., then peeling the external membrane from the tomatoes and reducing the temperature of the peeled tomatoes again to a freezing temperature.