Abstract
The preservation of fruit and vegetables by freezing is one of the most effective ways for retaining high quality and freshness in agricultural products during long-term storage. However, conventional freezing methods typically destroy plant cells and tissues due to the formation of ice crystals. Quick freezing techniques that made use of aluminum materials, heat treatment and trehalose addition were now used for reducing the freezing injury of plant cells. Contacting a sliced tomato with two thick aluminum plates on both sides provided a significant quick freezing. The use of an aluminum vessel and particles also provided a quicker freezing method for whole tomatoes. Heat treatment at 45°C for 24h reduced the freezing injury of whole tomatoes. The absorption of trehalose from a 10% trehalose solution also reduced the freezing injury. These results suggest that the combinatorial uses of a quick freezing technique with aluminum plates and particles, heat treatment and trehalose addition is an effective way to reduce the freezing injury of fruit and vegetables during the freezing process.
