Advancements in Intelligent Thawing Systems for Protein-Based Foods: An Industry 5.0 Perspective

Freezing is essential for maintaining the stability of the global supply chain for protein-based foods such as meat and aquatic products. However, traditional thawing technologies suffer from low efficiency and severe quality deterioration. Aligned with the principles of Industry 5.0, next-generation food thawing increasingly prioritizes intelligence, human-centricity, sustainability, and resilience. This paper systematically examines the entire technological chain from freezing pretreatment to intelligent integration. Rather than providing a technology-by-technology summary, this review establishes a progressive analytical framework that connects freezing pretreatment, thawing strategies, intelligent systems, and Industry 5.0 enabling technologies. It first discusses freezing pretreatment strategies that establish a quality foundation for subsequent thawing, then reviews individual thawing technologies and synergistic thawing strategies through critical evaluation of their mechanisms, technological advantages, limitations, evidence quality, and industrial applicability. It further analyzes the architecture of intelligent thawing units, including multidimensional sensing networks, intelligent control, and digital twins, and highlights their role as the digital infrastructure for adaptive and data-driven thawing systems. Then it further discusses the roles of Industry 5.0 enabling technologies in building human-centric, sustainable, and resilient thawing systems. These technologies include augmented reality, collaborative robots, low-code platforms, blockchain, edge-cloud collaboration, and closed-loop feedback optimization. Finally, core challenges and future directions are outlined. This review proposes a whole-chain optimization framework from freezing pretreatment to intelligent thawing systems and provides critical insights into the transition toward Industry 5.0-oriented food processing.