By Carla Landi
Do you know the top 10 key reasons you should use a blast chiller/shock freezer in your operation? How about the difference between blast chilling and shock freezing?
American Panel, experts for more than 50 years, can provide everything you need to know about blast chilling and shock freezing. Learn the answers to the questions and check out the videos from chefs that talk about how they maximize the benefits of blast chilling and shock freezing in their professions.
Top 10 Reasons to Use a Blast Chiller/Shock Freezer in Your Operation
Food Safety
When it comes to food safety, minimizing time spent in the danger zone (140˚F to 40˚F) is key. To limit the danger of bacterial contamination in food, it is extremely important to lower its temperature rapidly. Micro-organisms work fast, especially at temperatures between 140˚F and 40˚F. Lower temperatures have a hibernating effect that increases as the temperature drops, thereby gradually reducing bacterial activity until it stops altogether. Blast chilling is so effective in a HACCP plan and inspectors love it.
Food Quality
When food is slowly chilled, cells are damaged. This process has a negative effect on taste, aroma, overall appeal, and customer satisfaction. Blast chilling and shock freezing captures the flavor and food quality and minimizes the breakdown.
Wider Menu
Blast chilling and shock freezing allows restaurants to provide a more varied menu of delicious, fresh-tasting choices! With a HurriChill™ blast chiller/shock freezer, chefs can complete semi-finished dishes in record time. With social distancing in kitchens a challenge in today’s world, blast chilling can also allow chefs to come in during slower kitchen times and create culinary dishes that can be blast chilled and ready to serve when you're ready to serve them.
Saves Valuable Time
Blast chilling and shock freezing allows menu items to be prepared faster and ahead of time. Schedules are easier to maintain and significant time is saved throughout the week as meals are prepared and served.
Improved/Extended Shelf Life
This is a big factor. Increase shelf life up to five days with your HurriChill™ blast chiller. If long term storage is required, shock freezing prolongs shelf life for several months. We will talk about the difference between blast chilling and shock freezing later in this article.
Less Waste
Discarded leftovers can become a thing of the past. Blast chilling or shock freezing allows operators to plan and use leftover food products efficiently.
Less Product Shrinkage
Weigh this HurriChill™ advantage: the rapid speed of blast chilling protects moisture in the food from evaporation up to 15%. This is significant when you look at the high cost of food today.
Labor Saving
Chefs can now produce seven days worth of food in just three or four days. Think about the huge benefits and cost savings that brings your operation.
Smarter Food Purchasing
Think of the money that could be saved by buying in bulk at lower prices without the risk factors that come with buying food in bulk. When you introduce blast chilling and shock freezing into the food prep process, seasonal items become more accessible–and you’ll avoid the risk of running out of popular menu items during peak periods.
YOUR BOTTOM LINE
Increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, reduce costs, increase profits, and more.
The Difference Between Blast Chilling and Shock Freezing
BLAST CHILLING
The blast chiller allows the product core temperature to be reduced from 160˚F to 38˚F in 90 minutes so that the food can be kept longer with its original texture, flavor, and aesthetic qualities. After blast chilling, the food can be preserved at a temperature of 38˚F for up to 5 days, after which it must be reconstituted to serving temperatures.
SHOCK FREEZING
Freezing temperatures (0˚F) enable the storage time of food products to be extended. Shock freezing is the only system that allows food products to be preserved for weeks or even months, keeping the initial quality almost intact. The fast penetration of cold transforms the liquids in the food into micro-crystals, which do not damage the tissues of the food so that upon thawing, the product will not have weight and color loss, while the texture and flavor remain unchanged. By using a HurriChill™ shock freezer, it is possible to bring the food temperature to 0˚F within 240 minutes.
