via Agricultural Research Service
Shifting to a new food freezing method could make for safer and better quality frozen foods while saving energy and reducing carbon emissions, according to a new study by U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and University of California-Berkeley scientists.
“A complete change over to this new method of food freezing worldwide could cut energy use by as much as 6.5 billion kilowatt-hours each year while reducing the carbon emissions that go along with generating that power by 4.6 billion kg, the equivalent of removing roughly one million cars from roads,” said ARS research food technologist Cristina Bilbao-Sainz. She is with the Healthy Processed Foods Research Unit, part of ARS’s Western Regional Research Center (WRRC) in Albany.
“These savings could be achieved without requiring any significant changes in current frozen food manufacturing equipment and infrastructure, if food manufacturers adopt this concept,” Bilbao-Sainz added.
The new freezing method, called isochoric freezing, works by storing foods in a sealed, rigid container—typically made of hard plastic or metal—completely filled with a liquid such as water. Unlike conventional freezing in which the food is exposed to the air and freezes solid at temperatures below 32 degrees F, isochoric freezing preserves food without turning it to solid ice.
As long as the food stays immersed in the liquid portion, it is protected from ice crystallization, which is the main threat to food quality.
“Energy savings come from not having to freeze foods completely solid, which uses a huge amount of energy, plus there is no need to resort to energy-intensive cold storage protocols such as quick freezing to avoid ice crystal formation,” Bilbao-Sainz said.
Isochoric freezing also allows for higher quality storage of fresh foods such as tomatoes, sweet cherries and potatoes that are otherwise difficult to preserve with conventional freezing.
Another benefit of isochoric freezing is that it also kills microbial contaminants during processing.
“The entire food production chain could use isochoric freezing—everyone from growers to food processors, product producers to wholesalers, to retailers. The process will even work in a person’s freezer at home after they purchase a product—all without requiring any major investments in new equipment,” said WRRC center director Tara McHugh, co-leader of this study. “With all of the many potential benefits, if this innovative concept catches on, it could be the next revolution in freezing foods.”
UC-Berkeley biomedical engineer Boris Rubinsky, co-leader of this project, first developed the isochoric freezing method to cryopreserve tissues and organs for transplants.
Since then, ARS and UC-Berkeley have applied for a joint patent for applying isochoric freezing to preserving food. The research team is now developing the best applications for this technology in the frozen foods industry, especially scaling up the technology to an industrial level. They also are seeking commercial partners to help transfer the technology to the commercial sector.
UC-Berkeley mechanical engineer Matthew Powell-Palm, one of the lead authors of the study paper, noted that “isochoric freezing is a cross-cutting technology with promising applications in not only the food industry, but in medicine, biology, even space travel.”
Original Article: New Food Freezing Concept Improves Quality, Increases Safety and Cuts Energy Use
More from: Agricultural Research Service (ARS) | University of California Berkeley
The Latest Updates from Bing News & Google News
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Isochoric freezing
- Upper Bucks under a freeze watch Fridayon April 24, 2024 at 6:12 pm
On Thursday at 1:12 a.m. the National Weather Service issued a freeze watch valid for Friday between 2 a.m. and 9 a.m. for Upper Bucks. The weather service adds, "Sub-freezing temperatures as low ...
- 'Take any precautionary methods': Freeze watch tonight followed by 80 degrees this weekendon April 24, 2024 at 10:22 am
Freezing temperatures will return to the Buckeye State tonight. Lows are forecast to fall to about 28 degrees by sunrise Thursday morning, according to Zach Sefcovic, a meteorologist who works in ...
- Strangers rush into freezing water to pull woman from car and carry her to safety after crash in Clayon April 24, 2024 at 9:04 am
Editor’s note: Syracuse.com reporter Darian Stevenson contributed to this article. Clay, N.Y. — It was a regular Tuesday for Lasaros Milian as he sat in the passenger side of his coworker’s ...
- Freeze warning issued for tonight, temps to dip below 30 degreeson April 24, 2024 at 8:37 am
Don’t turn your heat off just yet! The National Weather Service in Taunton just issued a freeze warning (yes, bitter cold is back) for tonight into tomorrow morning. “Sub-freezing temperatures ...
- Freeze watch issued overnight starting 2 a.m. Mondayon April 21, 2024 at 10:13 am
National Weather Service has issued a freeze watch overnight starting at 2 a.m. Monday. WHAT: Sub-freezing temperatures as low as 30 possible. WHERE: Central and northern Shenandoah Valley, Washington ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Isochoric freezing
[google_news title=”” keyword=”isochoric freezing” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Freezing foods
- Frozen Seafood Market to Surge, Projected CAGR of 6.8% by 2034on April 30, 2024 at 12:02 am
The frozen seafood market is poised for substantial growth, with projections indicating a rise from US$ 21,995.1 million in 2024 to US$ 42,657.6 million by 2034, reflecting a robust CAGR of 6.8%.
- Vermont company recalls over 8K boxes of frozen meat pizza for containing unlisted allergenon April 29, 2024 at 5:55 pm
VT in Newport, Vermont is recalling over 8,000 boxes of frozen MEAT pizza manufactured between April 2023 and April 2024, because they contain soy.
- TikTok Myth of the Week: Freezing Bread Makes It Healthieron April 29, 2024 at 1:30 pm
According to TikTok, freezing your bread makes it healthier. I’m told by various videos on the platform that “something great happens when you freeze your bread,” that “diabetics should freeze their ...
- No lingering danger from food facility trailer fire, Hanover area fire officials sayon April 29, 2024 at 12:30 pm
A burning trailer was quickly knocked down by Hanover firefighters at a Penn Township factory Monday morning after a refrigeration unit caught fire.
- Thousands of frozen pizzas sold at Walmart recalled over deadly allergen riskon April 29, 2024 at 12:02 pm
More than 8,000 boxes of frozen meat pizza sold at Walmart were recalled because of misbranding and undeclared allergens that could prove fatal, the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Freezing foods
[google_news title=”” keyword=”freezing foods” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]