Benefits of an ultrafast-freeze food preservation technology for processed meat products

Les Cahiers de l'IFIP, 10(1), 1-17.
The aim of this study was to compare the effects of two food-freeze technologies on the quality of four processed pork products: whole cooked ham, sliced cooked ham, emulsified (frankfurter-type) sausage, and dry-cured sausage. The two technologies tested here are a conventional industrial tunnel freezing process (forced-air blast circulation at -30°C) and a pilot-scale freezing process that works by immersion in ethanol cooled to -30°C.
The faster freezing speed of the test technology outperforms conventional tunnel freezing by better preserving the structure of the moisture-rich products. The better-preserved product structure reduces drip loss when thawing moisture-rich products like cooked ham, and also has beneficial effect on the texture and juiciness of the ultrafast-frozen products that translates into better yields for manufacturers and better quality food for consumers.
The processed and frozen products tested here did not show any significant deterioration in physical, chemical, and microbiological properties. However, each new product reference has its own composition and geometry differences and will thus require its own separate assessment.