Abstract

Freezing is a well-established preservation method widely used in the food industry, which involves lowering the product temperature generally to −18°C or below. At low temperatures most pathogenic bacteria grow very slowly or do not grow at all, chemical reaction rates are greatly reduced, and cellular metabolic reactions are also delayed [1]. Apart from this, changes to nutritional or sensory characteristics of foods are small if correct freezing and storage procedures are followed. Despite the benefits of this preservation method, one of its main drawbacks is the risk of food damage caused by the formation of ice crystals. The size and location of ice crystals formed during freezing depend on many factors such as the freezing rate and final temperature of the process, and affect important quality parameters, for example, texture, exudates or drip loss, and color of the frozen products [2,3].