Photo: Jocelyn Morales
A fundamentally new way to freeze foods could cut global energy consumption by as much as 6.5 billion kilowatt-hours a year. The isochoric freezing technique relies on storing foods in a sealed, rigid container made of hard plastic or metal that’s filled with a liquid such as water, and placing it in a freezer. While conventional freezing involves exposing food to the air and freezing it solid, the new method doesn’t turn food into solid ice. Energy savings come from not freezing foods completely solid, which uses a huge amount of energy. The technique substantially improves food quality and can preserve fresh and otherwise delicate food products for longer than conventional freezing methods. No more mushy defrosted raspberries!
Source: Yuanheng Zhao et al. Analysis of global energy savings in the frozen food industry made possible by transitioning from conventional isobaric freezing to isochoric freezing. Renew Sust Energy Rev, 2021.
www.anthropocenemagazine.org/2021/09/new-freezing-strategy-could-cut-the-energy-use-of-food-industry/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-freezing-strategy-could-cut-the-energy-use-of-food-industry