Abstract: Electromagnetic wave-assisted freezing (EWAF) is a novel assisted freezing technology characterized by energy efficiency, high effectiveness, continuous processing capability, and minimal detrimental effects on food matrices. Based on existing frozen dough systems, this paper reviews the impact of EWAF on the skin effect and quality of dough. It elaborates on the technical principles of EWAF and the skin effect, explains the underlying mechanisms involving hydrogen bond network reconstruction, temperature oscillation‑induced freeze-thaw cycles, and regulation of ice crystal morphology by secondary nucleation combined with ice crystal splitting, and compares the functional differences between microwave and radio frequency during freezing. Meanwhile, this review analyzes the influence of the skin effect on energy distribution and ice crystal formation in dough, summarizes the effects of​ key process​ parameters such as frequency, power density, and electrode spacing, and introduces the physical, chemical, and microstructural indicators for the quality evaluation of dough along with their detection methods. Studies show that EWAF can effectively decrease ice crystal size and protect dough microstructure, but it still faces challenges including inadequate understanding of the mechanism of the skin effect, complexity of multi‑physics field coupling, insufficient targeted quality evaluation systems, and bottlenecks in engineering applications. Future research should focus on three aspects: deepening mechanistic understanding, optimizing technological parameters, and promoting practical application. This review is expected to provide technical support for the wide application of EWAF in wheat-based food processing.

Key words: electromagnetic wave-assisted freezing; dough; skin effect; freezing quality; ice crystal morphology