New food freezing concept improves quality, increases safety and cuts energy use : USDA ARS

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. 

The new freezing method stores foods in a sealed, rigid container—typically made of hard plastic or metal—filled with a liquid such as water. Unlike conventional freezing in which the food is completely exposed to 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 requires a large 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. 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 much power by 4.6 billion kg, the equivalent of removing roughly one million cars from roads. - (Article from the USDA ARS) CONTINUE READING THE REPORT