Ice crystallization and structural changes in cheese during freezing and frozen storage: implications for functional...

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Materials Science
• Biophysics

Background:

• Temperature-mediated preservation is crucial for long-term food storage.
• Understanding cheese techno-functional properties during freezing is essential for global availability.
• Limited research exists on sub-zero molecular dynamics in heterogeneous systems like cheese.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the effects of refrigeration, freezing, and frozen storage on cheese microstructure and functionality.
• To explore ice formation mechanisms and thermophysical properties of cheese during frozen storage.
• To identify knowledge gaps regarding freezing's impact on cheese functionality, especially Mozzarella.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies on temperature-mediated preservation of cheese.
• Analysis of research on ice crystallization, dehydration, and concentration gradients in cheese.
• Examination of mathematical models for estimating cheese thermophysical properties.

Main Results:

• Freezing causes ice crystallization, leading to casein dehydration and concentration gradients, altering cheese texture.
• Optimized freezing and storage parameters can extend shelf life for specific cheeses like Mozzarella.
• Effects of freezing vary significantly by cheese type, often negatively impacting texture and functionality.

Conclusions:

• There is a lack of consensus on the precise effects of freezing on long-term cheese functionality.
• Further research is required to optimize frozen storage strategies for diverse cheese varieties.
• Understanding cheese's complex matrix interactions at sub-zero temperatures is key to improving preservation.