The food industry has been using cryogenic processes for decades - often without realizing it. The shock freezing of fish on deep-sea cutters, the cryogenic grinding of spices and the inertization of packaging with gaseous nitrogen are just a few examples of the use of low-temperature technology in food production.
The principles that apply in biomedical cryopreservation are also increasingly being used in food technology: rapid freezing minimizes the ice crystal size and thus preserves the cell structure of the food - which is directly reflected in better texture, taste and nutritional content after defrosting.
In this article, we highlight the parallels between biomedical cryotechnology and the food industry and show what both sectors can learn from each other.
The basic principle is identical to biomedical cryopreservation: the faster a product is frozen, the smaller the ice crystals remain. Large ice crystals penetrate cell walls and lead to a loss of texture and liquid leakage during thawing - the dreaded drip loss.
Modern blast freezers use liquid or gaseous nitrogen to freeze food in minutes instead of hours. The result: prawns, berries or portions of meat that are almost indistinguishable from fresh produce after defrosting.
In cell biology, vitrification uses the same principle: ultra-fast freezing prevents any ice crystal formation by transforming the solution directly into a glassy state. The BIOFREEZE® devices from Consarctic® are optimized for the controlled version of this process.
Certain foods - especially spices, herbs and high-fat products - cannot be ground effectively at room temperature, as the resulting frictional heat destroys volatile aromatic substances or smears the product due to its fat content.
The solution: cryogenic grinding. The ground product is cooled to temperatures below -100°C using liquid nitrogen before grinding. At these temperatures, fats become solid and brittle, flavorings are preserved and the ground product can be processed into finer particles.
Gaseous nitrogen is used as a protective gas in food packaging. It displaces the oxygen from the packaging and thus prevents the food from oxidizing. Potato chips packaged in a nitrogen atmosphere remain crispy and tasteless for much longer.
Cryogenic logistics also plays a role in the food industry: temperature-sensitive products such as ice cream, fish or meat are kept at the correct temperature during transportation using cryogenic cooling systems.
In the food industry, freezing is often still an uncontrolled process. However, findings from biomedical cryopreservation show that a controlled cooling rate - as offered by a controlled rate freezer - can significantly improve product quality.
The requirements for temperature monitoring in biomedical cryostorage are far stricter than in the food industry. However, a trend towards complete documentation is also emerging here, driven by regulatory requirements and consumer expectations of transparency.
As a specialist in cryogenic systems, Consarctic® has a deep understanding of the physics and technology of cryogenic processes. This knowledge primarily benefits the biomedical industry, but is also relevant for industries in which cryogenic processes are playing a growing role.
The expertise in the planning of liquid nitrogen supply, vacuum lines and phase separators can be used across all industries and forms the basis for efficient cryogenic processes - whether in the laboratory or in the production plant.
The controlled application of extreme cold is a tool that is hard to beat in its versatility. From saving human stem cells to preserving the flavor of a spice - the principles are amazingly similar.
Are you interested in cryogenic solutions for your specific application? Contact our experts. We'll help you find the right cryogenic system for your unique requirements.