Ali Asadi - Department of Food Industry, Faculty of Agriculture, Tabriz University, Tabriz, Iran

Freezing-induced damages to seafood are pervasive problems that result from physical and biochemical changes during the freezing process. The formation of ice crystals is the main indirect trigger of these changes, including oxidation and aggregation of proteins, and lipid oxidation. The increasing concerns over the safety and low efficiency of traditional cryoprotectants (sucrose, polyols, and phosphates) require the development of novel and healthy alternatives with high cryoprotective ability. However, the present cryoprotectants with ice-binding or stabilizing functions alone may not achieve the desired cryoprotection of frozen seafood. Hence, cryoprotectants with dual functions (ice-binding and stabilizing ability) have been proposed for frozen seafood, and have shown great potential to achieve the desired cryoprotection levels. Aiming to spur the development of ideal cryoprotectants that combine ice-binding ability and component stabilizing properties, we comprehensively discuss the structural basis of the present cryoprotectants, including ice-binding proteins, antifreeze peptides, Polyphenols, and factors influencing their activity. This review comprehensively outlines considerations for achieving the ideal cryopreservation of frozen plates of seafood by combining ice-binding and stabilizing functions in cryoprotectants. Polysaccharides are potential candidates for developing ideal cryoprotectants. However, further research is needed to optimize material selection and design hence improving cryoprotection performance.

“Frozen seafood”, “Ice crystals formation”, “Ice-binding properties”, “Stabilization”, “Dual cryoprotection”.