Disclosed are an anti-ice nucleation activator comprising a purine base or a purine base-containing polymer, and an antifreeze liquid comprising the anti-ice nucleation activator and water; a method for improving the anti-ice nucleation activity of a biological material, the method comprising bringing the anti-ice nucleation activator into contact with the biological material; and a method for preserving a biological material, the method comprising bringing the anti-ice nucleation activator into contact with a biological material.

Disclosed are an anti-ice nucleation activator comprising a purine base or a purine base-containing polymer, and an antifreeze liquid comprising the anti-ice nucleation activator and water; a method for improving the anti-ice nucleation activity of a biological material, the method comprising bringing the anti-ice nucleation activator into contact with the biological material; and a method for preserving a biological material, the method comprising bringing the anti-ice nucleation activator into contact with a biological material.

A method for coating food products with a coating substance including: a step a) of supercooling the food products, by providing external frigories, to a temperature lower than the initial temperature of same, before contacting the food products with the coating substance, and subsequently, a step b) of contacting the supercooled food products obtained in step a) with the coating substance. In step b): (i) the supercooled food products are contacted with the coating substance in a treatment chamber, (ii) the food products are stirred by a motorised mechanised system, including at least one stirring member, internal to the treatment chamber, (iii) the at least one stirring member is heated, and the intensity of the heating is adjusted, without excess heating, so as to avoid the accumulation of materials on the stirring member.

A failure determiner is provided to perform a failure diagnosis to successively evaluate functions of the refrigerant circuit and components forming the refrigerant circuit for a plurality of evaluation items. If the failure diagnosis is interrupted, the failure determiner has a restarting function to restart the failure diagnosis from an intermediate point of the failure diagnosis.

Method for preparing deep-frozen vegetable pieces, preferably potato pieces such as french fries, comprising of bringing the vegetable pieces into brief contact with an inert substance which has a temperature which is sufficiently low and for a period of time which is sufficiently long to impart to the outer layer of the vegetable pieces a temperature which is <0 C. while an inner part of the vegetable piece has a temperature which is >0 C.; slowly freezing the vegetable pieces until the pieces are fully deep-frozen by bringing the vegetable pieces into contact with air.

Method for preparing deep-frozen vegetable pieces, preferably potato pieces such as french fries, comprising of bringing the vegetable pieces into brief contact with an inert substance which has a temperature which is sufficiently low and for a period of time which is sufficiently long to impart to the outer layer of the vegetable pieces a temperature which is <0 C. while an inner part of the vegetable piece has a temperature which is >0 C.; slowly freezing the vegetable pieces until the pieces are fully deep-frozen by bringing the vegetable pieces into contact with air.

A novel method for freeze-related separations, involving the combination of water with a selected concentration of biogenic ice nucleation proteins, freezing the combination, and separating the ice, potentially via centrifugation or sublimation. In some instances, the freezing conditions and the concentration of the at least one biogenic ice nucleation protein are selected such that the aqueous solution, upon freezing, forms a lamellar ice crystal structure having at least one property selected from the group consisting of a solute inclusion volume at least 30% smaller than in the first material alone, a hydraulic diameter at least 30% larger than in the first material alone, an inclusion width that is less than 10% of a crystal dimension, a hydraulic diameter that is less more than 1.5 times that of an inclusion width, a deviation of crystal orientation angle in the transverse direction of less than 45 degrees, an ice crystal length in the transverse direction that is at least 10% larger than in the first material alone, and a length of the ice crystal structure in the longitudinal direction that is at least 10% larger than in the first material alone. The use of these structures result in a significant efficiency improvement and energy savings.

A novel method for freeze-related separations, involving the combination of water with a selected concentration of biogenic ice nucleation proteins, freezing the combination, and separating the ice, potentially via centrifugation or sublimation. In some instances, the freezing conditions and the concentration of the at least one biogenic ice nucleation protein are selected such that the aqueous solution, upon freezing, forms a lamellar ice crystal structure having at least one property selected from the group consisting of a solute inclusion volume at least 30% smaller than in the first material alone, a hydraulic diameter at least 30% larger than in the first material alone, an inclusion width that is less than 10% of a crystal dimension, a hydraulic diameter that is less more than 1.5 times that of an inclusion width, a deviation of crystal orientation angle in the transverse direction of less than 45 degrees, an ice crystal length in the transverse direction that is at least 10% larger than in the first material alone, and a length of the ice crystal structure in the longitudinal direction that is at least 10% larger than in the first material alone. The use of these structures result in a significant efficiency improvement and energy savings.

A pass-through system and method for treating and/or pre-cooling perishable products uses a conveyor system with a treatment chamber that is configured to be contained (or closed) to provide a sealed environment and enhanced with forced air flow to recirculate air and/or functional substances including, e.g., sanitizers, as well as ripening management and conditioning agents, across the surface of perishable products. The enhanced forced air is an integral part of the system for efficient treatment and can also be cooled to accomplish rapid cooling.

A pass-through system and method for treating and/or pre-cooling perishable products uses a conveyor system with a treatment chamber that is configured to be contained (or closed) to provide a sealed environment and enhanced with forced air flow to recirculate air and/or functional substances including, e.g., sanitizers, as well as ripening management and conditioning agents, across the surface of perishable products. The enhanced forced air is an integral part of the system for efficient treatment and can also be cooled to accomplish rapid cooling.