Almost any food item can be blast chilled, including meat, vegetables, casseroles, lasagna and desserts.
Blast chillers’ versatility allow them to support a variety of cooling tasks. Operators commonly use this equipment in cook-chill production, but it is also versatile for other applications, including creating ice cream/sorbet and cryo-shucking shellfish. Blast chillers also can quickly cool wine, beer and other alcoholic beverages as well as chill plates for safer handling and temperature consistency. Gelatin desserts can be set in a blast chiller if the inside air volume doesn’t blow over the product. This is a benefit to high-volume operations such as schools, which can chill gelatin desserts in about 20 minutes. In addition, these units can store food for extended periods, which helps cut down on waste.
Unlike refrigeration equipment, which is designed to hold food cold, blast chillers remove heat from food by reducing temperatures from 160 degrees F to 38 degrees F in about 90 minutes or less. This reduces the time food is in the danger zone of between 41 degrees F and 135 degrees F.
In addition to versatility, blast chilling offers a variety of other benefits. This equipment forms microcrystals on products, enabling food to retain quality, appearance, nutritional value and flavor. It also improves shelf life as operators can safely store many blast-chilled products for up to five days. Blast chillers also can be used in combination with blast freezers for extended storage needs.
Blast chillers are available in a wide range of models, including countertop, undercounter, reach-in, roll-in and roll-thru types. Roll-in types are the largest and are recommended for high-volume or batch production. Countertop types, which take up minimal space, are best suited for smaller kitchens.
In addition to different formats, operators can choose from various sizes to accommodate smaller and larger volumes. Blast chiller capacities range from 35 pounds up to 1,300 pounds.
Blast chillers, which includes large compressors for cooling, are constructed of stainless steel on the interior and exterior. Operators can choose from self-contained or remote condensing units. While some units must be connected to a drain, those with built-in electric defrost capabilities automatically eliminate condensation on the condenser coils.
Options depend on the model, but many include 4-inch-thick panels with CFC-free polyurethane foamed-in-place insulation for temperature retention. Flush-mounted polyurethane foamed doors ensure a tight seal. Door gasket heaters on some blast chillers help prevent doors from icing over. Surface exterior-mounted control systems provide a digital readout of interior ambient temperature, probe temperatures, and both automatic defrost and hold cycles.
Typically, blast chillers provide temperature-monitoring capabilities with data recording for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) documentation. One added food safety feature is an ultraviolet light that sanitizes the cabinet’s interior. Other options include DC connections, printers, extra probes and preprogramming features.
Regarding energy efficiency, these units utilize more power than standard refrigeration equipment because product temperatures are brought down more quickly. However, blast chiller energy use varies depending on the model. Units that offer two independent cooling compartments provide greater energy efficiency since smaller amounts of product can be chilled in single compartments.
