Unveiling the impact of high pressure and low temperature coupling on gelatin gel properties

作者：Sinan Zhang, Hosahalli S. Ramaswamy, Ting Xiao, Lihui Hu, Yuxiao Mao, Songming Zhu, Ying Liu, Yong Yu · 发表于：Food Chemistry · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.144363 · 被引用次数：7 · 研究领域：Collagen: Extraction and Characterization、Meat and Animal Product Quality、Microencapsulation and Drying Processes

Balancing shelf life extension and food quality is a key challenge in food processing. Conventional air freezing (CAF) methods inhibit microbial growth but often create large ice crystals that damage food texture, nutrition, flavor, and water holding capacity. High-pressure and low-temperature coupling (HPLT) technologies, such as pressure-shift freezing (PSF) and pressure-assisted freezing (PAF), offer innovative solutions to these limitations. This study explores the effects of HPLT on gelatin gel, focusing on ice crystal morphology, mechanical properties, and water distribution. PSF and PAF produce smaller, more uniform ice crystals, reducing structural damage and preserving gel strength and texture. HPLT also decreases water loss, enhancing gel integrity during freezing. These results demonstrate HPLT's potential to revolutionize frozen food processing, minimizing quality degradation, reducing food waste, and promoting global food security.