(Journal of Food Process Engineering, 2017) AKEEM OLAYEMI RAJI1, RAHMAN AKINOSO, UCHE IBANGA and MONSURAT OYEWALE RAJI
Freezing and thawing characteristics of some Nigerian soups (Ila, Ewedu, Ogbono and Kuka) were investigated. The soups were prepared using standard recipe and packaged in plastic and aluminum containers, frozen at 220C and thawed with microwave oven water (2.45 GHz), hot water (100C) and at ambient condition (30 6 2C). Freezing and thawing durations, rates, losses and points of the soups were determined using standard methods. Data were analysed using SPSS at P 5 0.05. Freezing duration, rate, loss and points were 70.0–145.0 min, 0.4–0.7C/min, 1.75–3.79%, and 21.8 to 22.4C respectively. Thawing duration, rate, loss and points were, 1.8–53.0 min, 0.4–10.9C/min, 0.1–2.4% and 21.7 to 22.3 C respectively. Soups packaged in aluminium containers frozen faster than in plastic containers. Microwave-thawed soups in plastics showed the best thawing characteristics which include high thawing rate, short thawing time and low thawing loss.