Osmodehydrofreezing: An Integrated Process for Food Preservation during Frozen Storage

Abstract

Osmodehydrofreezing (ODF), a combined preservation process where osmotic dehydration is applied prior to freezing, achieves several advantages, especially in plant tissues, sensitive to freezing. OD pre-treatment can lead to the selective impregnation of solutes with special characteristics that reduce the freezing time and improve the quality and stability of frozen foods. ODF research has extensively focused on the effect of the osmotic process conditions (e.g., temperature, duration/composition/concentration of the hypertonic solution) on the properties of the osmodehydrofrozen tissue. A number of complimentary treatments (e.g., vacuum/pulsed vacuum, pulsed electric fields, high pressure, ultrasound) that accelerate mass transfer phenomena have been also investigated. Less research has been reported with regards the benefits of ODF during the subsequent storage of products, in comparison with their conventionally frozen counterparts. It is important to critically review, via a holistic approach, all parameters involved during the first (osmotic dehydration), second (freezing process), and third stage (storage at subfreezing temperatures) when assessing the advantages of the ODF integrated process. Mathematical modeling of the improved food quality and stability of ODF products during storage in the cold chain, as a function of the main process variables, is presented as a quantitative tool for optimal ODF process design.

Phase change and crystallization behavior of water in biological systems and innovative freezing processes and methods for evaluating crystallization

“…Sucrose (the most utilized carbohydrate) [155], glucose [156], sorbitol [157], maltose [158], NaCl [159] have been employed as common hypertonic solutes in osmotic dehydration. Temperature, process time, composition, and concentration of the hypertonic solutes are the main useful parameters in osmo-dehydro-freezing [154]. As stated in [160], sucrose showed higher firmness in both 3 and 60 days of storage time than maltitol and trehalose.…”

“…Osmotic dehydration is a proper way to decrease moisture content, leading to easier freezing. Osmo-dehydro-freezing is an integrated process, consisting of two separate stages, including osmotic dehydration and subsequently freezing [8,154]. Compared with air drying (as a pretreatment for freezing), osmotic dehydration need less energy [84].…”

Physico-chemical, Sensorial and Microbiological Quality of Frozen Avocado (Persea americana Mill.) Slices

“…De Ancos et al (2000) reported that during freezing cell damages to the fruit resulted in the release of vitamin C in raspberries. Giannakourou et al (2020) mentioned that osmodehydrofreezing process with a mixture of sucrose/glucose/ fructose significantly decreased vitamin C owing to a mild leakage of water-soluble compounds out of the cell tissue.…”

Investigation of 60Co gamma irradiation on dehydration kinetics: A case study of apple slices

“…Because irradiation does not heat the treated material, the food keeps its freshness and its physical state (frozen or dried commodities; Li et al, 2016). Food irradiation technology is applied to reduce postharvest losses (physical, physiological, mechanical, and hygienic conditions) and control the microorganisms while preserving the product nutritional value (Baeghbali, Ngadi, & Niakousari, 2020; Giannakourou, Dermesonlouoglou, & Taoukis, 2020). Also, Food irradiation (the application of ionizing radiation to food) is a technology that improves the safety and extends the shelf life of foods by reducing or eliminating microorganisms and insects.…”