Cryogenic Processing: Advances in the Food Industry

Presents comprehensive insights into cryogenic processing to transform food industries and expand future technological applications

Cryogenic processing has advanced rapidly from its origins in industrial metal treatment to becoming a powerful, interdisciplinary technology that is reshaping food production, preservation, and innovation. As food industries worldwide face the challenges of maintaining quality, extending shelf life, and ensuring safety, cryogenic techniques offer scientifically sound and commercially viable solutions.

Cryogenic Processing: Advances in the Food Industry provides the first in-depth resource dedicated to the principles, practices, and potential of cryogenics within food processing and related sectors. The volume examines cryogenic freezing, chilling, and processing with a focus on molecular transformations, engineering aspects, and industrial-scale applications. Through chapters addressing dairy, meat, seafood, spices, herbs, and vegan products, the book illustrates how cryogenics can deliver consistent improvements in quality while supporting sustainability and efficiency. Contributions by leading experts also consider future development, such as the integration of cryogenics with 3D printing, novel extraction methods, and other emerging technologies.

Positioning cryogenic processing as a key driver of innovation in food science, this authoritative volume:

• Addresses a wide range of cryogenic solutions across sectors
• Explains molecular, engineering, and industrial aspects of cryogenic processing
• Features real-world case studies demonstrating successful implementation
• Highlights innovations in dairy, meat, seafood, spice, and vegan food products
• Examines cryogenics in herbal medicine and pharmaceutical applications
• Analyses the environmental and economic implications of large-scale adoption

Combining scientific rigour with applied perspectives, Cryogenic Processing: Advances in the Food Industry is ideal for postgraduate and graduate students in food process engineering, food technology, and post-harvest science, as well as for professionals and researchers in the food industry. It is also a valuable resource for courses in food engineering, post-harvest technology, and industrial food processing within agricultural, engineering, and food science degree programmes.

SUMIT SUDHIR PATHAK is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Food Processing Technology at Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences, Coimbatore, India. His research focuses on cryogenic applications in post-harvest operations of spices, herbs, and minor forest produce, with an emphasis on value addition and preservation. He has handled ANRF, DST funded project based on cryogenic processing of herbs.

RAMA CHANDRA PRADHAN is a Professor in the Department of Food Process Engineering at the National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, India. With over 16 years of teaching and research experience, his expertise spans food process engineering, post-harvest technology, value-added products, and equipment design for agricultural and food systems.

SUDARSHAN RAMANATHAN is a Junior Research fellow-ANRF, DST in the Division of Food Processing Technology at Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences, Coimbatore, India. His research interests include cryogenic processing, non-thermal processing of medicinal herbs, novel extraction techniques, food preservation, and valorisation of fruit and vegetable by-products.