Freezing occurs when a liquid turns solid due to low temperature.
Before entering fully into the meaning of the term freezing , we are going to proceed to know its etymological origin. In this case, we can state that it is a word that derives from Latin, exactly the result of the sum of the following components:
-The prefix con- , which means "together."
-The noun gelu , which is synonymous with "ice."
-The suffix -cion , which can be translated as "action and effect."
What is freezing
Freezing is the process and result of freezing : causing a liquid to become solid by the action of cold . This verb also refers to storing food, medicines or other items at a very low temperature so that they remain in good condition; to damage a tissue or a system due to the cold; or to stop or suspend something temporarily or indefinitely.
The idea of freezing usually refers to the procedure that converts water into ice , a feature that allows the conservation of different products .
When something is subjected to freezing, the development of enzymatic and bacteriological processes is interrupted . In this way, what is frozen does not suffer alterations and can maintain its state or quality.
Freezing contributes to the preservation of food.
The process in food
Take the case of a piece of beef. If said meat remains at room temperature, it is likely that it will spoil within a few hours due to the proliferation of microorganisms. That same meat stored in a refrigerator can maintain its good condition for three or four days. On the other hand, if the meat is placed in a freezer or freezer to be frozen, its durability will extend to several months.
Within the field of food and health, freezing has had a very important weight for a few years now. And the need has been established to freeze fish before eating it raw or semi-cooked. Because? Because it is the way to prevent the person who is going to consume it from suffering from what is known as anisakis .
Specifically, it is recommended to keep it frozen for five days at a temperature of -20º. In this way, this fish parasite will die completely and will not cause problems such as allergic reactions or even gastroenteritis, among other things.
Freezing eggs and other cells
In addition, there is also egg freezing or vitrification, which is a technique that aims to preserve female fertility. Specifically, what it does is postpone the woman's reproductive capacity for as long as it deems appropriate, either because she wants to prioritize her work, or because she is going to undergo cancer treatment, or because she has to have surgery...
Cryopreservation , on the other hand, is the technique that is based on freezing tissues or cells at a very low temperature to stop biological activity.
The term in colloquial language
In colloquial language , freezing can refer to any interruption or stoppage of a process or factor.
For example: "The government announced the freezing of the electricity rate for four months," "The freezing of salaries in this context of inflation causes a lot of harm to workers."