Quick-Freezer

a unit used for quick-freezing food products, such as meat, fish, and vegetables, at a temperature of approximately –40°C in order to provide for subsequent storage and transportation of such products in the frozen state.

In air-blast quick-freezers the products are placed in chambers through which cooled air is blown at a high speed. Tunnel-type quick-freezers are a variation on the air-blast design, in which the products are frozen while being transported by conveyor through the freezing chamber. The air in a quick-freezer is cooled by a refrigerant passing through coils. In multiplate quick-freezers the product is placed between movable plates through which a refrigerant or coolant is circulated.

Quick-freezers are used to freeze fish, fruits, meat-filled dumplings, and other food products. Freezing in quick-freezers accelerates the freezing process by a factor of 3–4, fully preserves the nutritional value and taste of the products, reduces shrinkage caused by drying, and preserves the original appearance of the products.