Liquid Nitrogen Freezing Fruit

When fruit such as a strawberry or berry is submerged in liquid nitrogen, the water inside its cells freezes almost instantly. This rapid freezing makes the fruit rigid and brittle, so when struck with a hammer or mallet, it shatters instead of squishing.

1. Put on safety glasses and cryogenic gloves.
2. Place a piece of fruit (e.g., strawberry, blueberry, or grape) into a container of liquid nitrogen.
3. Leave it submerged for several minutes until frozen solid.
4. Using tongs, remove the fruit and place it on a sturdy surface.
5. Strike the fruit with a hammer or mallet to demonstrate its brittle, shattered texture.
6. (Optional) Record the demonstration with a high-speed camera to capture the shattering effect in detail.

LIQUID NITROGEN VS FRUIT | Brothers Do Science: In The Lab - Oli White:

Cryoshattering Fruit - ChefSteps:

• Try different types of fruit (apple slices, banana pieces, or grapes) to compare textures when frozen.
• Use leafy vegetables (like lettuce or spinach) to show how they crumble when frozen.
• Compare the crushing of frozen fruit to unfrozen fruit to highlight the difference.

• Safety glasses required.
• Wear cryogenic gloves when handling liquid nitrogen and frozen fruit.
• Use tongs to remove fruit from liquid nitrogen - never touch it directly.
• Only strike fruit on a stable, non-breakable surface.
• Do not eat fruit until fully warmed to room temperature.
• Ensure liquid nitrogen is handled only in a well-ventilated area.

• Why does the fruit shatter instead of squish when frozen with liquid nitrogen?
• What happens to the water inside the fruit’s cells during rapid freezing?
• How does this relate to why frozen fruits at home sometimes feel mushy when thawed?
• How do industrial freeze-drying or cryopreservation techniques use similar principles?
• What does this experiment teach us about states of matter and the effects of temperature on materials?