Snap freezing
{{short description|Process of rapid cooling of a substance for the purpose of preservation}}
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Snap freezing (or cook-chill or blast freezing) is the process of rapid cooling of a substance for the purpose of preservation. It is widely used in the culinary and scientific industries.
Scientific use
Snap-freeze is a term often used in scientific papers to describe a process by which a sample is very quickly lowered to temperatures below -70 °C. This is often accomplished by submerging a sample in liquid nitrogen. This prevents water from crystallising when it forms ice, and so better preserves the structure of the sample (e.g. RNA, protein, or live cells).{{cite journal |title=Collection, Storage, Retrieval and Distribution of Biological Materials for Research |journal=Cell Preservation Technology |date=1 March 2008 |volume=6 |issue=1 |pages=3–58 |doi=10.1089/cpt.2008.9997}}