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Everyone knows what a frozen food is, but perhaps not everyone knows that only if the freezing process is carried out quickly (freezing), the organoleptic qualities of the food are maintained. In fact, during freezing, all water molecules turn into crystals the smaller the faster the freezing process. Therefore, only with micro-crystallization of water, the food molecules are not destroyed.
Blast chilling tunnels, thanks to a powerful refrigeration system with -40°C air, allow products to reach a core temperature of -18°C in the shortest possible time, thus keeping the organoleptic qualities of the food intact. Thus, a blast chilling plant serves to “bring down” the core temperature of a product in a given time. This type of plant measures the temperature of that product and carries out a cycle in which to bring the core of the product in a given time to a given temperature.
Another function of blast chilling systems is the elimination of the bacterial load of cooked products: meats, fish, vegetables, fruits, pastries, and in general all products with refrigerated storage. The cooking process, in fact, does not sterilize the cooked product, therefore, when the temperature begins to drop, bacterial proliferation begins. For this reason, it is necessary to bring the product as quickly as possible to temperatures that do not favor microbial development. Obviously, the process of blast chilling and preservation of frozen food can also be extended to uncooked products, such as seafood products, in order to destroy the anisakis larvae, in accordance with the methods and times prescribed by current regulations.
In the countries of the European Union, EC Regulation 853/2004 approved by the European Parliament recommends the freezing of fish products at -20°C for at least 24 hours and provides for random inspection of fish products, possible identification of the parasite and subsequent removal of heavily contaminated products from the market. In addition, this legislation requires certain commercial activities to have blast chillers in relation to the quantities of product to be processed.
