From chicken wings to shrimp, fresh vegetables and pasta, IQF allows processors to preserve food as individual pieces while protecting quality.
IQF stands for “Individual Quick Freezing.” IQF is a common food processing technique that allows separate pieces of food to be frozen individually. These products can be found in retailers’ frozen food sections and in restaurants. Whether the frozen pieces are berries, cuts of meat, or French fries, the IQF process helps consumers receive separated frozen food products when they open the bag, rather than frozen clumps.
IQF is often referred to by a variety of other names including “flash freezing,” “quick freezing,” and “super freezing.”
These terms all describe the actual freezing mechanism used on IQF products. While these terms can also be used to discuss fast freezing for non-IQF food as well, they illustrate an important fundamental advantage of IQF: a faster freeze means improved product quality and consistency. Two freezer types are commonly used by food processors: mechanical and cryogenic. Each type has tradeoffs of capital, operating cost, and product quality.
We describe the process used to achieve a rapid freeze in a bit more detail below.
While the precise freezing mechanism can vary, the fundamentals of IQF processing typically look something like this:
A variety of cryogenic or mechanical freezer designs can be used for IQF products. Each have their own pros and cons, and we recommend considering the best fit for your facility carefully.
Mechanical freezers are more capital intensive than cryogenic freezers, and customers must deal with hazardous ammonia refrigerant. However, they do find applicability in certain circumstances. To achieve IQF quality, techniques like air impingement or fluidized bed, can keep individual product items separated during the freezing process. Nevertheless, higher operating temperatures of mechanical freezers result in longer freezing times and can result in product dehydration and loss of product quality due to more ice crystal formation.
Cryogenic freezers are less capital intensive but tend to have a higher operating cost. Nonetheless, because of rapid freezing times, product quality is retained and high throughput in a small footprint is achievable. Technologies like flighted and triple pass freezers let the IQF product fall between a series of belt passes. However, the product can get damaged and create fines (and product losses). While immersions freezers offer a very rapid freeze, they are less efficient than other cryogenic freezers. Some of the newest IQF technologies – like Wave or Wave Impingement Freezers – gently agitate the product to keep it separated during the freezing process and maintain high product quality.
These freezers are also very efficient, which allows for high throughput in a small space. Learn how Tyson Foods replaced their CO2 tunnel freezer with the Messer Wave Impingement freezer and increased production from 4,500 lb/hr on average to up to 8,000 lb/hr.
We offer an array of freezer designs employing the latest technologies to increase efficiency and meet strict hygiene standards. Reach out to our experienced food processing team to learn more using the form below.