ABSTRACT
Freezing is considered to be an excellent process for preserving food quality for prolonged shelf life because quality deterioration due to microorganisms and some biochemical processes decreases during the frozen storage, though freezing is also an excellent means of preserving microorganisms already present in the food. Moreover, it is well established that lipid oxidation and color deterioration occur during freezing and storage of frozen products, for example, rancid oxidation in frozen ˜sh [1] and meats [2] and color deterioration in frozen raw meats [3]. The principle aim of this chapter is to provide a brief overview of vacuum packaging and its bene˜ts to freezing technology to enhance the shelf life and overall quality of food for a longer period of time. Trend of vacuum packaging technology in frozen food is sought to minimize deteriorative changes including microbiological and chemical changes, and it is widely used in many kinds of food, particularly in ready meal. However, a successful vacuum packaging combined with freezing technology is in›uenced by the nature of food, the nature of package, and the freezing process.
