Abstract: A method of preserving perishable food in a nonfrozen state in the nonfreezing region below the freezing point of the food, which comprises comparatively rapidly cooling the food from the ordinary temperature to the vicinity of the freezing point of the food and then slowly cooling the food below the freezing point at a cooling rate of 0.01-0.5.degree. C./h, and this method permits perishables such as vegetables, fruits, fishes or shellfishes to be preserved with a high freshness and can suppress without fail any lowering in the freshness thereof which inevitably occurs immediately after harvesting.

Abstract: A melt treatment apparatus is provided which obviates an increase in floorspace and in cost and has freedom from a danger of steam explosion and further can control melt discharging with reliability.The welt treatment apparatus 1 is constructed with a furnace body 8 for entry of a material 17 to be heated, a plasma torch 2 that generates a plasma arc 13 so as to melt the material, a melt discharge passage 3 arranged in the furnace body for discharging a hot melt 14 derived by melting the material with the use of the plasma torch, and cooling gas jet means 7 disposed in the melt discharge passage and jetting a cooling gas to cool the hot melt to thereby form a dam 12.

Abstract: A method of controlling the aging or maturing of edible material such as meats, fish, dairy products, cereals, etc. by keeping the edible material in the presence of a freezing point depressing agent and an extract from the edible material at a temperature ranging from 0.degree. C. to the freezing point of the material whereby the resultant flavor and/or taste of the edible material is improved.

Abstract: A controlled freezing-point dried food accompanied with its original freshness and having an excellent restoration ability to its original state is obtained by treating a fresh food in the presence of a freezing-point depression agent at a temperature of 0.degree. C. to a temperature in the range of the freezing-point controlled temperatures for prolonged period of hours without it being frozen thereby to make the food accompanied with cold-resistance, to maintain its original freshness and to improve its flavor and tastes and blowing chilled air of minus 5.degree. C. to 10.degree. C. with a stream rate of 0.5 m/sec. to 5 m/sec. onto the food for 5 to 600 hours.