Blast Chillers

A blast chiller is designed to rapidly lower the temperature of hot food to a safe level preventing bacteria growth and keeping the food fresh. It's a tool, in commercial kitchens and restaurants to prevent foodborne illnesses and ensure the quality of meals.

Typical freezers are great for long term storage keeping frozen foods fresh for future use. Blast chillers on the other hand are designed to rapidly reduce temperature of food this has several very important functions in commercial kitchens:
1. Rapidly reduce temperature of cooked food immediately after being removed from the oven so that it can be transferred to the fridge or freezer without producing lots of steam and therefore ice
2. Freeze food so quickly that ice crystals do not have an opportunity to form. Typical freezers do not freeze this quickly and icecrystals grow within the cell structure of food causing fibres to separate and the food texture becomes stringy and unpalatable
3. Some specialised blast chillers such as Irinox even function as regeneration ovens and can even mimic sous vide and pasteurise foods. These are common in European commercial kitchens and can drastically reduce staffing requirements when used effectively

Blast chillers usually have a temperature range of -30°C to 4°C which varies based on the model and brand. They are built to quickly cool down food temperatures to levels in order to inhibit bacterial growth and uphold the quality of the food. Blast chillers will typically chill hot food from cooking temperature down to approx 4°C before being transferred to another fridge or freezer. Or they can blast freeze down to -20°C (or colder) before being transferred to regular freezers.

A blast chiller is a device that rapidly cools down food to a safe temperature in a short amount of time. It operates by using a refrigeration system to swiftly lower the foods temperature typically within a few hours. By circulating air around the food at high speeds the blast chiller effectively removes heat quickly preventing harmful bacteria growth and preserving the quality and freshness of the food. This swift cooling process helps maintain the taste, texture and nutritional content of the food while ensuring compliance, with food safety standards. The purpose of blast freezing is To freeze food products so rapidly that ice crystals do not have a chance to form. When ice crystals form as food freezes it destroys the cellular structure within the food causing the texture to become very stringy and unpalatable.

When deciding on the size and capacity for a blast chiller in a commercial environment there are several factors to take into consideration.

Firstly it's crucial to figure out how much food will need cooling or freezing at any given moment. This will assist in choosing a blast chiller with capacity to manage the amount of food prepared in your establishment. Think in terms of trays. How many Gastro / GN trays of food do you need to freeze each day.

Then think of the time required to freeze each batch, as is listed in product descriptions or manuals. Blast freezers are typicalyl available in 3, 5, 7, 10 or 20 tray models.
Based on how many trays you need to batch freeze each day. you can work out how many batch freezing cycles you need to do each day with different sized freezers.

Also consider the physical space for the blast chiller. Make sure that the units dimensions fit within the allocated area in your kitchen or storage space.

Think about the kinds of food items that will be cooled or frozen in the blast chiller as different products may have cooling needs. Selecting a blast chiller that can cater to the requirements of your menu items is important.

Remember that not all blast chillers are the same. Some models have very different capabilities than others including non freezing functions. So depending on your menu and your equipment requirements, you might find a model that can actually replace another piece of kitchen equipment, saving you space you didnt realize could be saved!

Lastly it's advisable to seek advice, from a professional or the manufacturer of the blast chiller to confirm that the size and capacity you choose can effectively meet your businesss needs.

Indeed commercial blast chillers see use in the food service sector for various purposes. They play a role in swiftly cooling or freezing food to safe storage temperatures aiding in maintaining the quality and freshness of the food. These chillers find frequent application in kitchens, bakeries and similar establishments to rapidly cool down cooked dishes, baked goods and fresh produce. Moreover they are commonly employed for beverages, freezing desserts and tempering chocolate. The adaptability of commercial blast chillers positions them as assets, in professional kitchen environments.

Indeed blast coolers have applications in both the pharmaceutical fields. These machines are beneficial for cooling down food, drinks, as well as pharmaceutical and medical items to ensure they reach safe temperatures. Their ability to lower temperatures helps uphold the quality and safety of these goods by preventing the proliferation of harmful bacteria. In healthcare environments blast coolers can also play a role, in safeguarding blood plasma, medications and other temperature sensitive resources.

In a blast chiller the usual temperature range falls between -305°C and 5°C. This span enables cooling of food to secure storage temperatures lowering the chances of bacteria growth and maintaining food freshness.