What is a Blast Freezer?

A blast freezer is a special type of freezer that rapidly lowers the temperature of food to preserve its quality and reduce the level of bacterial growth.

Understanding the Functionality of a Blast Freezer: How It Works and Its Role in Food Preservation

A blast freezer is an appliance that significantly decreases the temperature of food to facilitate rapid freezing, thereby dramatically extending its shelf life and maintaining optimal food quality.

The way a blast freezer works is rather straightforward. The cooling process initiates when blowers inside the blast freezer pass chilled air over the surface of the food. This helps it quickly achieve a freezing state.

Blast freezers are capable of reducing temperatures incredibly swiftly. For instance, it can cool food from +90°C to -18°C within a period of 240 minutes. Such rapid freezing encourages the formation of small ice crystals in the food product, in contrast to the large ones formed during traditional freezing. The advantage of having smaller ice crystals is that, when thawed, they do not damage the cell wall and thus maintain the integrity or quality of the food.

The low temperature environment in the blast freezer is reached by producing an air temperature as low as -20 degrees Celsius. This results in hard chilling that halts bacterial growth, arrests all biological activity in the food, and slows down enzymatic degradation. To accomplish this level of chilling, the freezer uses refrigeration systems, usually with mechanically compressed coolants.

Benefits of Using Blast Freezer

1. Swift Cooling of Food: Blast freezers work incredibly quickly to cool food, preventing bacterial growth that can occur at room temperature.
2. Preserve Flavor and Texture: It reduces ice crystal formation allowing you to maintain the texture and flavor of your food.
3. Reduces Food Wastage: Blast freezing helps prolong the shelf life of the food, reducing wastage.
4. Cost-Effective: Although the initial investment may be steep, the cost savings from reduced wastage pays off in the long run.

Blast Freezer vs. Regular Freezer

Although both regular freezers and blast freezers help preserve food, their functionality and benefits differ significantly.

• Speed: A regular freezer takes about 24 hours to freeze food, while a blast freezer can do the job in under 2 hours.
• Food Quality: Regular freezers may alter the texture of the food when thawed, while the rapid freezing offered by blast freezers preserve texture and flavor.
• Storage Capacity: Blast freezers offer larger storage space, ideal for commercial kitchens.

Blast Freezer vs. Blast Chiller: Key Differences

Blast freezers and blast chillers are both used in the food industry for preservation, but they serve different purposes:

1. Temperature range: Blast freezers rapidly freeze food at extremely low temperatures (-35°C to -45°C), while blast chillers cool food quickly to around 3°C but do not reach freezing temperatures.
2. Purpose: Blast freezers are designed to preserve food quality and extend its shelf life by forming smaller ice crystals during the freezing process. Blast chillers focus on quickly cooling food to a safe storage temperature, reducing the risk of bacterial growth.
3. Applications: Both appliances are used in various industries such as restaurants, manufacturing, and catering. However, blast freezers are more suited for bulk food preservation, while blast chillers are ideal for rapidly cooling hot, cooked food before storage or service.

Frequently Asked Questions

How quickly do blast freezers work?

Blast freezers can reduce the temperature of food to freezing points in under 2 hours, preserving the food’s quality and safety.

Is it safe to use a blast freezer?

Absolutely! Blast freezers are designed according to the highest safety standards. They are safe to use and also increase the safety of your food by preventing bacterial growth.

Is the initial cost investment in a blast freezer worth it?

Although the initial investment in a blast freezer may be more significant than a regular freezer, the benefits it offers — from preserving food quality and safety to reducing food wastage — make it a sound investment, especially for commercial kitchens.

To summarise, blast freezers are an essential part of a successful commercial kitchen. By understanding their benefits, you can make an informed decision to invest in one and boost your kitchen’s efficiency, safety, and profitability.