Jiang Qiyong, Zhang Min, Mujumdar Arun S
State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.
Jiangsu Province International Joint Laboratory on Fresh Food Smart Processing and Quality Monitoring, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.
J Sci Food Agric. 2023 Mar 30;103(5):2223-2238. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.12260. Epub 2022 Oct 24.
Freezing is an effective technique to prolong the storage life of food. However, the freeze-thaw process also brings challenges to the quality of food, such as mechanical damage and freeze cracks. Increasingly, physical fields have been preferred as a means of assisting the freezing and thawing (F/T) processes to improve the quality of frozen food because of their high efficiency and simplicity of application. This article systematically reviews the application of high-efficiency physical field techniques in the F/T of food. These include ultrasound, microwave, radio frequency, electric fields, magnetic fields, and high pressure. The mechanisms, application effects, advantages and disadvantages of these physical fields are discussed. To better understand the role of various physical fields, the damage to food caused by the F/T process and traditional freezing is discussed. The evidence shows that the physical fields of ultrasound, electric field and high pressure have positive effects on the F/T of food. Proper application can control the size and distribution of ice crystals effectively, shorten the freezing time, and maintain the quality of food. Microwave and radio frequency exhibit positive effects on the thawing of food. Dipole rotation and ion oscillation caused by electromagnetic waves can generate heat inside the product and accelerate thawing. The effects of magnetic field on F/T are controversial. Although some physical field techniques are effective in assisting F/T of food, negative phenomena such as uneven temperature distribution and local overheating often occur at the same time. The generation of hotspots during thawing can damage the product and limit application of these techniques in industry. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
冷冻是延长食品储存期的有效技术。然而，冻融过程也给食品质量带来了挑战，如机械损伤和冻裂。由于其高效性和应用简便性，物理场越来越多地被用作辅助冷冻和解冻（F/T）过程以提高冷冻食品质量的手段。本文系统综述了高效物理场技术在食品F/T中的应用。这些技术包括超声波、微波、射频、电场、磁场和高压。讨论了这些物理场的作用机制、应用效果、优缺点。为了更好地理解各种物理场的作用，还讨论了F/T过程和传统冷冻对食品造成的损害。证据表明，超声波、电场和高压等物理场对食品的F/T有积极影响。适当应用可以有效控制冰晶的大小和分布，缩短冷冻时间，并保持食品质量。微波和射频对食品解冻有积极影响。电磁波引起的偶极旋转和离子振荡可在产品内部产生热量并加速解冻。磁场对F/T的影响存在争议。尽管一些物理场技术在辅助食品F/T方面有效，但同时往往会出现温度分布不均和局部过热等负面现象。解冻过程中热点的产生会损坏产品，并限制这些技术在工业中的应用。© 2022化学工业协会。
