A review of isochoric technology for the food industry

Isochoric technology represents a promising innovation in food preservation, operating at constant volume while allowing pressure to vary with temperature, fundamentally differentiating it from conventional isobaric freezing methods. This comprehensive review synthesizes current evidence on isochoric freezing applications, examining its mechanisms, advantages, limitations, and commercial feasibility for sustainable food systems. The methodology maintains food at subfreezing temperatures without forming damaging internal ice crystals, thereby preserving texture, flavor, nutritional content, and extending shelf life significantly compared to traditional freezing. Recent scientific studies demonstrate that isochoric freezing maintains superior quality in delicate products such as tomatoes, berries, and seafood whilst simultaneously achieving microbial inactivation. However, significant challenges remain in scalability, cost-effectiveness and universal applicability across diverse food matrices. With claims of up to 70% energy savings compared to conventional freezing and alignment with sustainability objectives, isochoric technology merits substantial research investment. This review critically evaluates the thermodynamic principles, documented applications across food categories, comparative performance metrics, current commercial development, and future research directions necessary to realize isochoric technology's potential as a transformative solution for high-quality, sustainable food preservation. The evidence suggests that low-pressure isochoric freezing (LPIF) variants may offer particular promise for industrial-scale implementation.