A composition for cryopreservation of cells and tissues of human and other animals in a safe manner without using toxic substances such as DMSO, as well as for freeze preserving or freeze-drying of foods and pharmaceuticals. In embodiments, -poly-L-lysine is reacted with succinic anhydride so that 60% or more of amino groups are blocked; and, thus obtained polymer compound is added to Dulbecco-modified eagle MEM culture medium (DMEM) on market sale to form a cryopreservation liquid. In embodiments for foods or pharmaceuticals, the -poly-L-lysine derivative was added by 0.5-10 wt % to curb freeze concentration.

An apparatus and method for reducing the temperature of a product include a housing having a chamber therein, and an inlet and an outlet in communication with the chamber; a plurality of zones in the chamber between the inlet and the outlet and arranged in descending order of heat transfer rate atmospheres for the product from the inlet to the outlet; a conveyor assembly for transferring the product from the inlet through the plurality of zones to the outlet; and a controller in communication with the chamber, the plurality of zones, the heat transfer apparatus, the conveyor assembly and the heat transfer rate atmospheres, the controller having stored therein physical characteristics and a heat transfer profile of the product to adjust and control the heat transfer rate atmospheres for the product such that a heat transfer rate of the product will decrease as the product is transferred from the inlet through each one of the plurality of zones to the outlet.

A tunnel 2 for the in-line anti-bacterial treatment of plucked poultry carcasses (or other animal carcasses) with a liquid cryogen or a cold gas at a temperature of less than 0 C. has an entrance 18 and an exit 20 for the poultry carcasses. A monorail conveyor 22 extends from the entrance 18 to the exit 20 and passes thorough the tunnel 2. Poultry suspension shackles 24 are able to pass along the conveyor 22. Thus, poultry carcasses are able to be conveyed through the tunnel 2. The conveyor 22 may follow a path which reverses direction at least once.

An apparatus for providing a liquid-gas entrained cryogen mixture onto a food product includes a first pipe through which is provided a flow of liquid cryogen; a second pipe through which is provided a flow of gaseous cryogen, the second pipe in fluid communication with the first pipe at a mixing region; and a pulsing valve disposed at an interior of the second pipe upstream of the mixing region, the pulsing valve adapted for releasing the gaseous cryogen into the liquid cryogen at select intervals of time to provide a pulsating flow of the liquid-gas entrained cryogen mixture downstream of the mixing region for contacting the food product. A related method is also provided.

An apparatus for providing a liquid cryogen with pulsed flow includes a first tank 14 containing liquid cryogen; a second tank 16 containing gaseous cryogen under pressure, the second tank in fluid communication with the first tank and including an outlet; and a pair of valves including a first valve 70 disposed to alternate between interruption and continuance of the fluid communication between the first and second tanks, and a second valve 74 disposed for coaction up to 180 out-of-phase with the first valve to repetitively cycle between pressurizing and releasing pressure of the liquid cryogen for providing discrete pulses of the liquid cryogen from the outlet. A related method is also provided.

An apparatus and a method for freezing foods includes a first conveyor having one end thereof located on the feed portion and that conveys the articles to be frozen in a first direction and a second conveyor extending directly beneath the first conveyor along thereof and conveying foods fallen from the other end of the first conveyor in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The apparatus further includes a coolant tank disposed beneath the second conveyor and storing coolant that freezes foods fallen from the second conveyor, a third conveyor having at least one portion thereof submerged in the coolant in the coolant tank and conveying the foods fallen from the second conveyor while immersing them in the coolant, and a coolant spraying means disposed above the first conveyor and spraying coolant toward the first conveyor.

Disclosed herein is preservation system for nutritional substances. The preservation system obtains information about the nutritional substance to be preserved, senses and measures the external environment to the preservation system, senses and measures the internal environment to the preservation system, senses and measures the state of the nutritional substance, and stores such information throughout the period of preservation. Using this accumulated information, the preservation system can measure, or estimate, changes in nutritional content (usually degradation) during the period of preservation. Additionally, the preservation system can use this information to dynamically modify the preservation system to minimize detrimental changes to the nutritional content of the nutritional substance, and in some cases actually improve the nutritional substance attributes.

A method and associated equipment for obtaining a product in the form of deep-frozen, dissolved-gas-rich granules, particles or beads from a liquid, semi-liquid or pasty matrix, comprises the following steps: gasification of the matrix by incorporating a gas; dispensing the matrix in the form of drops; and cryogenically freezing the matrix drops by immersion in a cryogenic fluid. The step of gasification of the matrix involves dissolving a large amount of the gas generated by the evaporation of the cryogenic fluid in the drops by increasing the number of gas molecules in a high gas density zone, called high molecular density zone, located above the surface of the cryogenic fluid and on the path of the matrix drops before they are immersed in the fluid.

A method and associated equipment for obtaining a product in the form of deep-frozen, dissolved-gas-rich granules, particles or beads from a liquid, semi-liquid or pasty matrix, comprises the following steps: gasification of the matrix by incorporating a gas; dispensing the matrix in the form of drops; and cryogenically freezing the matrix drops by immersion in a cryogenic fluid. The step of gasification of the matrix involves dissolving a large amount of the gas generated by the evaporation of the cryogenic fluid in the drops by increasing the number of gas molecules in a high gas density zone, called high molecular density zone, located above the surface of the cryogenic fluid and on the path of the matrix drops before they are immersed in the fluid.

The invention is a freezing apparatus and method for freezing a liquid in a rapid and efficient manner. The apparatus includes a frame, a freezing mold assembly that is removably mounted within the frame, and a central nozzle for distributing the freezing liquid throughout the mold assembly. The freezing mold assembly includes a plurality of freezing cells that are configured to receive the liquid and freeze it quickly, while the central nozzle distributes the liquid evenly throughout the mold assembly to ensure consistent freezing. The method includes the steps of filling the freezing cells with the liquid, activating the central nozzle to distribute the liquid evenly, and rapidly freezing the liquid in the cells. The apparatus also includes a demolding assembly for gently unfreezing the frozen content to enable easy demolding.