Magnetic field improves the quality of frozen tilapia fillets by decreasing the ice crystals during freezing process

Abstract In this study, the alternating magnetic field (AMF) with frequency of 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 Hz at magnetic field intensity of 5 mT was used to assist the freezing of tilapia fillets, with no magnetic field (NMF) as a control group. The evaluation of thawed tilapia fillets encompassed an assessment of freezing curve, texture, microstructure, moisture state and protein structure, followed by a subsequent analysis of their correlation. The findings showed that the application of a magnetic field during the freezing process yielded favourable outcomes in enhancing the overall quality of tilapia fillets. Among them, 200 Hz had the best effect. Under the condition, the frozen tilapia fillets assisted by magnetic field showed the shortest freezing time, the least decrease in hardness and elasticity and the best chewiness after thawing. The size of the ice crystals generated during freezing was small and uniform, and the fractal dimension of the frozen sections was the highest. Muscle tissue was the least damaged, which led to the improvement of its water-holding capacity. Magnetic field-assisted freezing was found to maintain the α-helix and β-sheet in the secondary structure of proteins. The correlation analysis showed that cohesion, elasticity, fractal dimension, FD, A2, A22 and β-turn were closely related to the quality changes of tilapia fillets after magnetic field treatment.