ABSTRACT
Freezing has long been recognized as an excellent method of food preservation. What is known as the "frozen food industry" emerged when "fresh frozen" products appeared on the market in the early 1930s. Fast freezing rates at cryogenic temperatures offer many advantages to the frozen food industry. The cryogenically frozen patty exhibited less weight loss than the blast or mechanically frozen patty. Dehydration loss with liquid nitrogen cryogenic freezing systems is insignificant. Liquid nitrogen that is vaporized by the exchange of heat with the warmer food can absorb and carry away only the amount of moisture which is required to saturate the nitrogen at the temperature at which it leaves the cryogenic freezing chamber. The use of liquid nitrogen for cryogenic grinding offers many advantages when compared to standard grinding methods that do not use any low-temperature refrigerant. Cryogenic grinding of spices is an acceptable technique that helps to retain the natural quality of spices.
