Observation of Changes in Frozen Pasta during Frozen Storage Using Synchrotron Radiation X-ray Computed Tomography

Abstract

"Freezer burn" is a type of quality degradation that occurs in frozen foods during frozen storage, which includes drying, degeneration, and discoloration. It is considered to be a sublimation phenomenon caused by a change in water vapor pressure due to temperature variations; however, there have been no studies regarding freezer burn in frozen pasta. In this study, the development of freezer burn in frozen pasta was visually monitored using a cryo synchrotron radiation X-ray computed tomography method. Using this approach, the state of freezer burn in the pasta was successfully visualized without sample pretreatment. The study revealed that temperature changes during storage accelerated the loss of moisture in frozen pasta. This was enhanced by increasing the frequency and amplitude of the temperature change. These results strongly indicated that, in order to suppress freezer burn of frozen pasta, storage freezers must be designed to suppress temperature changes.