Cold chain
Blast Freezers
Blast freezers freeze processed poultry from chilled to a core temperature of -18 °C or lower within a defined time — usually 4–24 hours depending on product form and technology.
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Role within the project
Freezing quality (crystal formation, dehydration) affects thawed product yield and quality. Poor freezing rates cost 1–3% of retail value in visible quality loss.
Typical applications
- Whole-bird tunnel and spiral freezers
- IQF (individually quick frozen) portions and further-processed
- Plate freezers for boneless value-added
Selection criteria
- Freezing time at target core
- Product form and packaging compatibility
- Refrigerant compliance
- Energy per kg frozen
Engineering considerations
- Tunnel or spiral capacity at target throughput
- Air temperature typically -35 to -40 °C
- Belt and infeed compatible with upstream packaging
- Defrost cycle and downtime
Commercial considerations
- Per-kg-per-hour CAPEX comparison
- Energy per kg frozen OPEX
- Refrigerant lifecycle cost
Procurement considerations
- SAT measuring core temperature vs time
- Refrigerant compliance in contract
- Defrost cycle and standby capacity in operation plan
Common mistakes
- Undersized freezer forces temperature drift in upstream chill
- Over-drying due to excessive air velocity — weight loss
- Ignoring defrost downtime in throughput calculation
- F-gas non-compliance in regulated markets
Ask suppliers
Ask for measured freezing time to -18 °C core at your product form at peak-hour throughput, with refrigerant certificate.
Related resources
Frequently asked
Tunnel or spiral?
Spiral gives smaller footprint at same throughput but higher CAPEX. Tunnel is simpler and standard on whole-bird. Match to product form and available floor area.
IQF for portioned poultry?
IQF preserves piece separation and enables retail portion packs. It is standard on portioned wings, drumsticks and value-added products.