Flash Freezing

By: Janani, Science Blog Editor

Imagine life without frozen pizza, frozen strawberries, or any frozen food. Impossible, right? Almost everyone in this world has eaten frozen food: vegetables, strawberries, fish, hot pockets, pizza, curries, the list goes on and on. In this fast-paced, bustling world, most people don’t have time to cook a whole meal from scratch. A world without frozen food would be a disaster. We can thank flash freezing for giving us frozen food.

What is flash freezing?

Flash freezing is a technique used to freeze food at very cold temperatures without compromising on the flavor, freshness, and texture of the food. Normally when food is frozen, big ice crystals form within the cells. Once the food is thawed, these huge ice crystals rupture the cells and cause all the fluids and nutrients to spill out. This gives the food that bland, unpleasant taste. To prevent that, frozen food companies use flash freezing. This process freezes food in a matter of seconds. The less time it takes for water to freeze inside the cell, the less time there will be for huge ice crystals to form. In flash freezing, the cells will not break once thawed because smaller ice crystals are formed.

Who invented flash freezing?

In 1912, Clarence Birdseye undertook an expedition to Labrador, Canada. During his freezing, treacherous endeavor, he ran out of food. The Inuits taught Birdseye how to ice fish from under thick sheets of ice. He observed that the fish froze almost instantaneously at -40 ℃, and when thawed, it still tasted fresh. This was a major breakthrough for Birdseye; he was able to ship fresh meat across the country without diminishing its freshness or flavor. Delivery times and expiration dates wouldn’t put the food in jeopardy. Birdseye is credited for single-handedly creating the frozen food industry.

Industrialization

Even though Birdseye’s discovery was revolutionary, it took him 10 years to perfect his flash freezing method. In 1924, he opened a flash freezing plant in Gloucester, Massachusetts, called General Seafood Corporation. In the initial stages, he would only flash freeze fish. Now, frozen food companies use the same technique to freeze fruits, vegetables, meat, and other frozen foods. Flash freezing has given rise to many frozen food companies we know and love today, like Tyson Foods and Hot Pockets. Birdseye’s company is still in business to this day.

The Future

So far, flash freezing is mainly used for freezing food. Newer studies have shown that scientists are planning to extend the flash freezing technique to freeze human organs for organ transplants or for studying organ cells. This would save a lot of time and money for doctors. It might also increase the rate of available organs for people who need organ transplants. The difference between flash freezing human organs and food is that the temperature required to freeze organs is much lower than -40℃. Compared to flash freezing food, flash freezing organs is a much more complicated process and a lot of research still needs to be done on the subject.

Conclusion

The invention of flash freezing has been a game changer in the modern food industry. Veggies and meats can now be shipped over longer distances without spoilage. Frozen foods have also made it much easier for people to prepare an easy meal for the whole family. The next time you savor those sweet, juicy strawberries, keep in mind that their rich flavor is all thanks to flash freezing.

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Works Cited

“Home.” Famous Scientists, www.famousscientists.org/clarence-birdseye/.

Leake, Isobel. “Out in the Cold: New Supercooling Technique Extends Liver Storage Time.” Nature News, Nature Publishing Group, 15 July 2014, www.nature.com/articles/nrgastro.2014.125.

“NOVA | Transcripts | Absolute Zero.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/transcripts/3501_zero.html.

Neergaard, Lauran. “First Step to Help Preserved Organs Survive the Deep Freeze.” The Seattle Times, The Seattle Times Company, 1 Mar. 2017, www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/science/first-step-to-help-preserved-organs-survive-the-deep-freeze/.