Food Preservation method by Low-
Temperature Treatment
Temperature management is an important tool to control both
physical and biological deteriorations in foods.
Low-temperature treatment applied during handling, transportation,
and storage is the easiest and most effective method to extend the
shelf life without losing quality.
Low-temperature treatment can be defined as removing heat energy
from the foods, which consequently decreases the temperature or can
change the state from water to ice. Low temperature (t) can be
combined with other preservation techniques (hurdles) for effective
preservation.
Refrigeration and Freezing are traditional low-temperature
treatment methods of food preservation.
Food Preservation method by Low-Temperature Treatment
A. Refrigeration
Refrigeration refers to storage at a temperature above the
freezing point of food.
The temperature of freezing refrigeration ranges from about 16 °C
down to -2°C.
Commercial and household refrigerators are generally operated
at 0 to 7.2°C as per the food type.
Refrigeration is applicable to preserve perishable foods for days
or weeks.
This technique does not necessarily kill microorganisms but
helps to inactivate the enzyme, which helps to protect food from
rapid deterioration.
This technique helps to maintain the organoleptic and quality
attributes of many foods as natural.
Principle of refrigeration
Under low-temperature microbial growth is depressed, and enzymatic
and chemical processes are slowed down.
Requirements for Refrigerated storage:
1. Controlled low temperature
2. Air circulation
3. Humidity control
4. Modification of gas atmosphere
Application of Refrigeration
It is applicable throughout the food supply chain; transportation,
warehousing, retailing, storage, etc.
For the preservation of;
1. Fresh foods (raw): Vegetables, fruits, Meat, Fish, egg
2. Processed foods: Rice, Dal, Curry, and other cooked items
3. Canned foods
4. Drinks and beverages
Defects of Refrigerated storage:
“Chill injury” to fruits and vegetables is refrigeration
temperature is not maintained
Storage of Banana and tomato under 13°C slow down the activity
of natural ripening enzyme, which results in poor colors
Also, refrigerated storage can bring the problem of flavor
exchange between foods.
Loss of vitamin C and other vitamins can be seen under
refrigeration
Some foods like bread are not refrigerated
B. Chilling
It is similar to refrigeration in which temperature ranges from 0 °C to
8°C, above the freezing point of the food.
S.N. Temperature Foods
1. ±1°C Fresh fish, meat, sausage, smoked meat, breaded fish
Canned meat, milk, cream, yogurt, salads, pasta, soup, pizza, pastries, cakes,
2. 0°C to 5°C
unbaked dough, etc.
3. 0°C to 8°C Fully cooked meat, butter, cheese, fruit juices, vegetables, cooked rice, etc.
C. Freezing
Freezing refers to frozen storage in which temperature is
maintained lower than the freezing point so that food is in frozen
condition.
Generally, good freezing requires a temperature of -18 °C or
below.
Microbiologically, -18°C storage is not strictly required because
most pathogens do not grow under 3.3°C, and food spoilage
organisms do not grow under -9.5°C. But the application of -18°C is
sufficient to retard enzymatic deterioration and to slow
nonenzymatic reaction expect some cases.
Freezing can preserve foods for months to years if a proper
packaging method is adopted.
Principle of freezing
Food spoilage microorganisms grow rapidly at temperatures above
10°C, but psychrotrophs grow below 0°C as long as there is unfrozen
water. So, making water unavailable by changing the state of water to
crystal form can prevent microbial growth or destroy microbial cells to
some extent.
Crystallization of water helps to increase the concentration of solutes
which helps to increase osmotic pressure or reduce water activity. Low
temperature lowers enzyme activity, and chemical reaction, as well as
microbial growth, is minimized.
Stages of freezing
Stages of
freezing Temp
erature-time curve for a freezing phenomenon
The quality of frozen food depends on the size of the ice crystals, and
based on ice crystals formation, freezing can be categorized as
follows;
Types of freezing
1. Slow freezing
2. Rapid freezing
S.N. Process characteristic Slow freezing Rapid freezing
1. Rate of decreasing temperature ≤ 2°C / min. ≥10°C / min.
2. Ice Crystal size Large Small
3. Location of ice crystals Extracellular Intracellular
4. Cell damage Shrinkage of cell Less damage
5. Drip loss on thawing More drip loss Less drip loss
Good food quality with better
6. Quality Less food quality
texture and flavor
Effect of slow freezing
If the freezing rate is too slow, cells may rupture and release nutrients
that drip during the thawing process and cause loss of organoleptic
and nutritional value of food.
Fi
gure: Impact of freezing rate on end product quality.
Application of freezing for food preservation
Food Water content (%) Freezing point (°C)
Egg 74 -0.5
Meat 55-70 -1.7 to -2.2
Milk 87 -0.5
Fruits 87-95 -0.9 to -2.7
Vegetables 78-92 -0.8 to -2.8
Types of conventional freezing methods
1. Plate freezing (contact with the cooled surface)
2. Immersion freezing (contact with the cooled liquid)
3. Cabinet freezing (contact with the cooled gas)
Room or cabinet freezing
Air-blast freezing
Tunnel freezing
Spiral freezing
Fluidized Bed freezing
Belt freezing
4. Cryogenic freezing (use of cryogenic liquid)
Types of freezing
S.N. Food preserved
methods
1. Plate freezing Meat steaks, fish fillets, leafy vegetables
2. Immersion freezing Canned foods, chicken, fruits, tomato slices, orange segments
3. Cold room Beef carcass, chicken, fruits, vegetables
4. Air blast freezing Fruits, vegetables, fish fillets
5. Tunnel freezing Grains, soybean, fish fillets
6. Fluidized-bed Carrot cubes, peas, shrimp, strawberries
7. Cryogenic Ice cream, shrimp, berries
The quality of frozen foods depends upon the
following factors:
1. Quality of fresh food
2. Food composition
3. Pretreatment methods
4. Selection of freezing methods
5. Freezing rate
6. Good hygienic practices
7. Packaging condition
8. Thawing process
References
1. Potter NP (1987), Food Science, CBS Pub, India
2. Rahman MS (1999), Handbook of Food Preservation, Marcel
Dekker, Inc, NY
3. Desrosier EN (1963), The Technology of Food Preservation,
AVI Publishing Company,New York
