Blast freezing

Blast freezing is the technology of food quick freezing with a gradual temperature pulldown. This technique has been widely used in the food industry due to a number of significant advantages over the standard method of freezing.

Blast freezing – photos

In the gallery you can see examples of equipment designed for quick freezing of products. In our company you will find a wide range of devices of various designs, types and capacities.

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Blast freezing temperature

This is a special technology of freezing, during which the temperature gradually decreases, smoothly, but quickly cooling the product. Freezing proceeds in three stages:

1. At the first stage, a warm product with a temperature of 20C is cooled to 0C.
2. The liquid phase goes into the solid phase at temperatures from 0 to -5C. Freezing occurs, i.e. crystallization of approximately 70% of liquid substances.
3. Products are further frozen at temperatures from -5 to -18C.

With the standard method of freezing, the process takes from 2.5 hours or more. Based on the fact that during the research was established the closest relationship between the rate of freezing and the final quality of the goods, it can be concluded that quick freezing is preferable. This technology of forcing cooling modes was developed exactly on the basis of this. The high rate of heat abstraction resulted here from two main factors - accelerated air movement and temperature pulldown to -30 ... -35С. Further reduction is completely unjustified, as it increases the risk of product deformation, process unevenness leads to excessive power costs.

Advantages of blast freezing

Blast freezing has many advantages over the standard method of freezing in ordinary freezing chambers:

• Weight loss is reduced by 2-3 times.
• It takes 3-10 less times.
• 1.5-2 times less commercial space is needed.
• Equipment payback period is shorter by 15-20%.
• 25-30% less staff required.

Here is a small example. In a standard chamber, cutlets and dumplings are frozen for at least 2.5 hours, and with blast freezing for only 20-30 minutes.

The formation of very small ice crystals occurs simultaneously in the cells and intercellular space. Therefore, the structure remains unchanged. The products are ecologically and bacteriologically clear, since they are not subjected to thermal and chemical treatment, they are instantly frozen, stopping the activity of the bacteriological environment.

The shelf life of products increases significantly without changing taste, all valuable nutrients remain.

Blast freezing equipment

There are several types of equipment. Each of them is widely used in the food industry:

1. Conveyor quick-freezing machines are more often used in production for freezing ready-made semi-finished products - pancakes, dumplings, cutlets, puff pastry, steaks. They are also indispensable for some plant products - mushrooms, berries, fruits and cut vegetables.
2. Fluidization machines freeze small-sized goods in suspension under the influence of a powerful cold air stream. Such equipment is perfect for shrimp, berries, soup mixes, some fruits, French fries. Thanks to this method of freezing, they don’t lose weight, don’t stick together, preserving a crumbly structure.
3. Intensive freezing chambers are designed for large or packaged products – half carcass meat, poultry, fish. Products in them are placed on special shelves, in carts or hung on hooks.
4. Spiral quick-freezing machines are perfect for freezing portioned dishes of fish, meat, breaded semi-finished products, fruits and vegetables.
5. Cradle models are used for packaged semi-finished products from fish, meat, poultry, confectionery, second course dishes and side dishes.

Blast freezing – price

The cost of units for blast freezing will depend on the type of device, its design features, power. It is very important to correctly carry out calculations, choose the best option in accordance with them and the type of production.

In the company «Akvilon Build Installation» you will find not only fair prices, but also competent staff who will quickly find the best solution in your case. We are engaged in the development, manufacture, supply, installation, repair and maintenance of various types of refrigeration units. We guarantee you short deadlines, their consistently high quality and long operational period of all installed equipment.