All You Need to Know about Blast Chillers for Your Commercial Kitchen
What is a Blast Chiller?
A blast chiller, also known as a shock freezer or blast freezer, is a commercial refrigeration appliance that is used to rapidly cool or freeze food products. They allow foods to be cooled or frozen much more quickly than conventional refrigerators or freezers. Typically they can cool food from 165°F (75°C) to 41°F (5°C) or lower within 90 minutes. This rapid cooling helps prevent bacterial growth and foodborne illnesses.
How do They Work?
They work through a high-velocity Blast Chillers of cold air and a precise control of temperature and humidity. They circulate cold air at high speeds, typically between 10-30 mph, over and around the food. This powerful airflow facilitates rapid and even heat transfer from the food product to the cold air.
Theyalso closely monitor and control temperature, air velocity, and humidity levels inside the chilling/freezing chamber. The temperatures are carefully regulated to avoid crystallization or moisture migration which can negatively impact food texture and appearance. Precise humidity levels prevent frost or condensation from forming during the rapid chilling process.
Benefits
There are numerous advantages to using a blast chiller in commercial kitchens:
- food safety - By rapidly chilling foods from the "danger zone" of 40-140°F, they minimize the time spent in temperatures where bacteria multiply quickly. This significantly reduces the risk of foodborne illness.
- Food quality - The controlled, rapid chilling of them helps retain texture, color, flavor and nutrition in foods compared to slow conventional chilling methods. It prevents moisture loss, freezer burn and other quality issues.
- Production efficiency - They enable commercial kitchens to quickly prepare large batches of foods in advance without compromising quality or safety. The chilled/frozen foods can then be stored for later use, easing production demands at busy times.
- Cost savings - By facilitating large-scale meal preparation, proper food handling, and optimal shelf life, blast chillers help reduce food waste and labor costs in the long run. Their upfront costs pay for themselves through greater productivity and efficiency.
- Space saving - With much faster chilling times than conventional methods, they take up less floor/storage space compared to walk-in refrigerators. This is particularly valuable for small commercial kitchens with limited footprint.
- Versatility - They are versatile in application for items like sauces, soups, meat, seafood, bakery products and more. Users have full control over chilling/freezing parameters to suit specific food types and recipes.
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