Antifreeze Proteins (AFPs) are secreted by the cold-blooded animals which resist the formation of ice-crystals in their blood

 

Antifreeze proteins (AFRs) are highly biological antifreeze substances originally discovered in polar bear; these substances can bind with thick polar bear ice and effectively inhibit the metabolic growth of the polar bear's body tissues. Polar bears live in cold or ice-rich waters below the freezing point. The occurrence of these antifreeze proteins was earlier ascribed to a molecular process called catalysis. At very high temperatures, the temperature inside the cell remains constant, while the external temperature changes abruptly; this is due to the presence of antifreeze proteins. The role of antifreeze proteins lies in the fact that they help in preventing the escape of chemical energy inside the cells of a living organism, in a process called oxidation. It was also observed that the production of these proteins is dependent on the activity of a particular type of yeast.

Apart from marine life, the consumption of other toxic proteins can also affect humans who may become exposed to these toxic proteins through contaminated seafood. The ingestion of low temperatures antifreeze proteins tends to lead to health issues among human beings. Once these toxic proteins reach into the blood stream of an individual, they can react with other hormones produced in the body and can provoke allergic reactions and infections. For instance, in January 2020, the Health Ministry of Japan authorized the first-ever use of re-programmed corneal cells from iPSCs (induced pluripotent stem cells) for cancer treatment.

In order to prevent the production of antifreeze proteins, it is important to make sure that the food we consume contains no fewer than twenty-four parts per million (PPM). This means that even eating just one portion of cooked fish containing antifreeze proteins will already lower the level of PPM in the body.

Considering the inability of small particles to dissolve in water, when antifreeze proteins come into contact with water, they tend to form ice crystals. The presence of ice crystals is a sign that the food in question has gone bad. Aromatic oils like Rosemary extract can be added to the water to neutralize the effect of these ice crystals before they form in seafood. By doing so, seafood exposed to antifreeze proteins remains safe from contamination.