Dielectric Properties of Frozen Biological Material

Abstract

The origin of the relaxation observed in the organic materials studied here is most likely to be the same as that seen in various frozen water-in-oil emulsions. This conclusion is drawn from the similarity of the activation energies (⋍ 30 kJ/mol), the similar dependences on the ice content and the range of frequencies covered by the relaxation. Observations previously made on the variation of relaxation frequency at −80°C with time after death of various fish tissues may reflect either a change in the ice fraction of the tissue as protein degradation proceeds resulting in water being released, or water being taken up by the tissue from melting ice during storage at 0°C.