Blast chillers have quickly become an essential commercial kitchen item, and in some cases are mandatory by law. There can be some confusion about what a blast chiller is, and how it compares to refrigerators and freezers. Here we will explore what a blast chiller is, how it works, and the different options that are available for a range of different kitchen needs and sizes.
What is a blast chiller?
A blast chiller is a piece of equipment that quickly lowers the temperature of food. Also known as shock freezers, shock chillers, or blast freezers, blast chillers act to quickly bring down the temperature of food to extend shelf life, texture, flavour, and value of the food.
The primary purpose of a blast chiller is to reduce the amount of time food spends in the €œdanger zone€. The danger zone for food is between 5°C to 60°C as at this temperature, microscopic bacteria rapidly multiply. If you are consuming food by the end of the day, it may not be an issue, but this may potentially lead to food poisoning if food consumed after 2-3 days.
Blast chillers allow for food to cool from over 70 degrees down to 3 degrees in a very short amount of time, bypassing the danger zone and ensuring the food is safe to consume and complies with regulations. Freezers, refrigerators, and cool rooms are inappropriate for this as they are unable to cool food at the required speed and for this reason, blast chillers are becoming increasingly popular in most commercial kitchens.
Blast chilling is also perfect for making frozen goods such as desserts and ice cream, as the quick-freezing speed makes for convenience and high-quality desserts. Lastly, blast chillers allow the quality of food to be maintained and extend the shelf life of products. As kitchens reduce the time required for food to cool down, texture, flavour and colour of food is preserved.
How does a blast chiller work?
Blast chillers or freezers work by blowing forced cool air over the food placed inside. This rapid cooling method decreases the chance of ice crystals forming, which are the main cause of decreased quality when food is defrosted from a regular freezer.
When food is frozen, the liquid content of the product forms crystals which damages the structure the cellular level. The rapid freezing from blast freezers reduces the size of crystals that form during process and helps preserve the structure of the product. This is critical as the larger the size of the crystal, the more damage is done to the cell walls of the food.
The word blast comes from the tendency of most brands to use high powered compressors that use a lot of energy to €œblast€ cool air into the chiller.
Which blast chiller is right for me?
Blast chillers are available in a range of sizes to suit different restaurants' needs. If a chiller is only required for small amounts, the Skope EF10.1: blast chiller and shock freezer may be a great option. This blast chiller is a smaller size and operates with reduced energy consumption which is better for the environment and your wallet.
Alternatively, for restaurants with much higher blast chilling requirements, it may be worth investing in the Everlasting Blast Chiller King Trolley. This blast chiller takes 20 standard baking trays and can chill up to 110kgs at a time.
For larger kitchens, or even bakeries who produce at a larger scale, the Irinox MultiFresh series is our recommendation with sizes ranging from 4 trays to 27 trays, depending on the requirements of the user. The added benefits with patented sanification, and defrosting systems ensure that the MultiFresh is the Blast Freezer of choice when looking for a quality product.
With Flexikitch, you can choose from a wide range of ex-rental or brand-new hospitality equipment to suit your business needs. We keep the process simple and transparent, and our sales staff will be with you throughout the process to answer any questions you might have.
Call us today on 1300 769 161 to find out more!