Application of high pressure processing in freezing and thawing processes
High-pressure technology allows to exploit the particular characteristics of the water phase diagram, thus opening new opportunities for food freezing and thawing. In this chapter, different types of high-pressure freezing and thawing processes are characterized and their effects on food quality described. Among all the high-pressure freezing methods, high-pressure shift freezing is the most advantageous as it induces extensive supercooling throughout the product and largely enhances ice nucleation. Compared to conventional freezing, this results in shorter phase transition times, smaller ice crystals and, in general, better quality of the frozen food. Moreover, the synergistic effect of high pressure and subzero temperature on microbial lethality causes some microbial inactivation in the frozen product as an interesting side effect. On the other hand, high-pressure assisted thawing reduces thawing times and present similar advantages on food quality. However, depending on the product and the pressure applied, some adverse effects, such as toughening or discoloration, have been identified in certain high-pressure frozen or thawed foods. To avoid this problem, pressure level should be optimized to maximize benefits of high-pressure processing while minimizing pressure-induced adverse effects on quality.
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| Format: | capítulo de libro biblioteca |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2023
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10261/334661 |
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| Summary: | High-pressure technology allows to exploit the particular characteristics of the water phase diagram, thus opening new opportunities for food freezing and thawing. In this chapter, different types of high-pressure freezing and thawing processes are characterized and their effects on food quality described. Among all the high-pressure freezing methods, high-pressure shift freezing is the most advantageous as it induces extensive supercooling throughout the product and largely enhances ice nucleation. Compared to conventional freezing, this results in shorter phase transition times, smaller ice crystals and, in general, better quality of the frozen food. Moreover, the synergistic effect of high pressure and subzero temperature on microbial lethality causes some microbial inactivation in the frozen product as an interesting side effect. On the other hand, high-pressure assisted thawing reduces thawing times and present similar advantages on food quality. However, depending on the product and the pressure applied, some adverse effects, such as toughening or discoloration, have been identified in certain high-pressure frozen or thawed foods. To avoid this problem, pressure level should be optimized to maximize benefits of high-pressure processing while minimizing pressure-induced adverse effects on quality. |
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