Gelatin‐Filtered Consommé: A Practical Demonstration of the Freezing and Thawing Processes

ABSTRACT: Freezing is a key food processing and preservation technique widely used in the food industry. Application of best freezing and storage practices extends the shelf‐life of foods for several months, while retaining much of the original quality of the fresh food. During freezing, as well as its counterpart process, thawing, a number of critical physiochemical processes take place, including freeze concentration and freezing‐point depression. As a start to understanding the complexities associated with frozen foods, Food Science students should be able to describe and explain what occurs during the freezing and thawing of an aqueous solution. A modern cooking technique, gelatin‐filtered consommé, illustrates all of the phenomena associated with the freezing and thawing processes in a memorable, edible, hands‐on fashion.