Effect of different freezing conditions on ice crystal formation behavior and ice-growth inhibition by cryoprotectants.

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Yilin Huo, Dazhang Yang, Jing Xie, Zhikang Yang

Author Information

Yilin Huo: College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China. ORCID
Dazhang Yang: College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China.
Jing Xie: College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China. ORCID
Zhikang Yang: College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China.

PMID: 38958073 DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.13719

BACKGROUND: The formation of ice crystals will have adverse effects on aquatic products, and the key to ensure the long-term preservation and better quality preservations of the product is to evaluate the intercellular ice crystal formation to find suitable refrigeration conditions and cryoprotectants.
RESULTS: The ice crystal formation was successfully captured by using an inverted microscope cryomicroscopic system equipped with a low-temperature stage, the ice crystals formed under different freezing methods between tuna muscle cells were observed directly, the deformation degree of muscle tissue pores during crystallization was evaluated, and the effect of freeze-thaw times on tuna samples was analyzed. The effects of the use of cryoprotectant such as cellobiose and carboxylated cellulose nanofibers on ice-growth inhibition were investigated, and the reliability of the ice crystal observation results was further verified by the determination of physical properties. The results showed that carboxylated cellulose nanofibers had the best ice-growth inhibition effect, they prevented about 50% cell deformation compared with the control group, and also reduced the minimum size of ice crystal formation. In addition, the addition of cellobiose and sodium tripolyphosphate gave the ice crystals a more uniform size and roundness.
CONCLUSION: The experiment proposed a stable and clear observation method for the process of intercellular ice crystal formation, and the accuracy of the observation method was further verified by some physical indicators. This may help in the selection of suitable measurement methods to directly observe ice crystal formation behavior and screen cryoprotectants. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

cryogenic microscopy system cryoprotectants ice crystal size ice‐growth inhibition

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20DZ2292200/Shanghai Professional Technology Service Platform on Cold Chain Equipment Performance and Energy Saving Testing Evaluation
19DZ1207503/Science and Technology Innovation Action Plan of Shanghai Science and Technology Commission

Cryoprotective Agents

Ice

Animals

Freezing

Crystallization

Tuna

Food Preservation

Cellulose

Cryoprotective Agents

Ice

Cellulose

Journal Article

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