Freezing Behaviors of Frozen Foods Determined by NMR and DSC

The freezing patterns of commercial frozen foods were characterized by using proton nuclear magnetic resonance ($^1H$ NMR) relaxometry and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The liquid-like components like unfrozen water were investigated as a function of temperature (10 to $-40^{\circ}C$) and then compared with the unfrozen water content measured by DSC. The formation of ice crystals and the reduction of water in the foods during freezing were readily observed as a loss of the NMR signal intensity. The proton NMR relaxation measurement showed that the decreasing pattern of the liquid-like components varied depending on the samples even though they exhibited the same onset temperature of ice formation at around $0^{\circ}C$. When compared with the unfrozen water content obtained by the DSC, the NMR and DSC results could be closely correlated at the temperature above $-20^{\circ}C$. However, the distinct divergence in the values between 2 methods was observed with further decreasing temperatures probably due to the solid glass formation which was not detected by DSC.