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Cool Freezing Technology: Why Food Stays Fresh in the Freezer?
Freezing technology is one of the keys to modern food preservation. With the advancement of technology, refrigerators are no longer just cooling instruments, but have evolved into guardians that protect the freshness and health of food. In our daily lives, frozen foods are almost everywhere, but there is actually a set of sophisticated scientific principles behind them.
The basic principle of food freezing is to lower the temperature of food below the freezing point so that it turns into a solid state.
When water freezes in a low-temperature environment, the water molecules arrange themselves into a regular crystalline structure, a process called crystallization. Crystallization can be divided into two main steps: nucleation and crystal growth. Nucleation refers to the beginning of the aggregation of molecules to form small solid particles, and the further growth of these particles is crystallization growth.
The freezing of water during this process is typically exothermic, meaning that heat is released as the liquid becomes solid.
This heat is latent heat, and according to the principles of thermodynamics, when water or other liquids enter the freezing stage, latent heat is released. While this process does not raise the temperature of the material, it does require that heat be continually removed from the liquid, otherwise the freezing process will cease.
In addition to the basic freezing process, there are many factors that affect the freezing effect. For example, impurities in the water, irregularities on the surface of the container, etc. can lead to heterogeneous nucleation, which allows water to become solid above its normal freezing point. This is one of the important reasons why, in practical applications, food in the refrigerator can stay fresh.
About 77% of food is suitable for freezing, which can maximize its flavor and nutritional value.
As time goes by, freezing technology continues to improve. Modern refrigerators use a combination of air cooling and direct cooling to improve cooling efficiency and better preserve the taste and nutritional content of food. In addition, some refrigerators even have a quick-freeze function that can cool food to freezing point in a shorter time. This technology also helps reduce the formation of ice crystals and thus maintain the texture of food.
As food is stored in the freezer, the water in the food gradually turns into ice crystals, which changes its structure and flavor. Therefore, correct freezing technology can greatly reduce food loss and maintain its original flavor and nutrition. Freezing technology allows us to find all kinds of fresh fruits, vegetables and meat in supermarkets without having to worry about the freshness of the ingredients.
Many living organisms can survive in an environment below the freezing point of water, which is an important level in our understanding of how cryonics works.
Many living organisms, such as plants and animals, have adapted to survive in cold environments. For example, some plants can withstand temperatures between -4 °C and -12 °C and survive the cold winters. In addition, certain bacteria have been found to survive in ice for thousands of years, and some animals such as frogs and reptiles can also survive in a frozen state.
However, for food preservation in our daily life, the development of freezing technology is indispensable. From frozen vegetables to frozen meat products, these technologies not only extend the shelf life of food, but also make our eating habits more diverse. The freezing process not only protects the nutrients in food, but also reduces food waste when it is used.
As we learn more about freezing technology, we should also ask how this technology can be improved in the future to improve our health and food safety?
