Throughout the history of food production and storage, cold temperatures have proven the most effective in preventing spoilage and foodborne illnesses. Since the use of ice harvested in arctic regions going back as far as the early 1800s, cold storage warehousing has advanced into a highly developed system using sophisticated equipment.
For cold food storage today, the technology used plays a critical role in the support of food safety across the globe. As a provider of comprehensive climate-controlled storage warehousing in Austin, MN, Minnesota Freezer Warehouse Company is dedicated to maintaining best practices and continually adapting to new technology. One significant service we are able to offer our customers is our blast freezing capabilities.
Blast freezing is a relatively new practice for food warehouse storage. All types of blast freezers use a precise balance of high-velocity air, freezing temperatures, and evaporation systems. This balance is specific to several factors that make blast room freezing a nuanced system. These factors include:
- the food product that must be frozen,
- the packaging material,
- the condition of the food product,
- and the way the food product is placed in the freezer.
The complexity of blast freezing is well worth navigating because of the many benefits this system provides down the road.
How It Works
There are three general types of blast freezers, but all use a similar system. The types include continuous freezing (typically outfitted to goods moving on a conveyor belt or through a production line), variable retention time freezing (VRT freezers can be adjusted to blast freeze many different food products), and blast cell freezing (used to isolate and blast-freeze pallets or other packed food units). Each of these freezing systems uses a blasting system that forces air onto the food products in all directions (typically at about 1200 feet per minute), a regulated freezing temperature (typically at -30º F or lower), and an evaporation system that collects excess moisture and directs airflow in a way that prevents the dehydration of a food product. Freezing times and the balance between air, temperature, and evaporation depend on the goods themselves and the other above-mentioned conditions.
Benefits of Blast Freezing
Blast freezing may be difficult and require specialized equipment, but it provides benefits that outweigh these factors and make blast freezing one of the best ways to provide freezer storage. For one, blast freezing is fast. The speed that a blast system freezes products is unparalleled in increasing production schedules. Because of this speed, blast freezers can afford to be smaller than other freezing systems. Both the speed and size create an overall more efficient storage system. In addition, blast freezing retains the freshness of a product more effectively than any other freezer, making blast frozen products tastier, healthier, and safer in the long term.
To learn more about our blast freezing capabilities used for our storage warehousing in Austin, MN and Albert Lea, MN, contact MFWC at (507) 373-1477 or email us at info@mfwc-cold.com today.