OctoFrost Food Processing Machinery – Processing lines for IQF freezing
OctoFrost understands the real value and need of food processors to have a single supplier for their complete IQF processing lines. The final freezing result can be compromised if the the food processing machineriesare not chosen or optimized right. Although it became famous worldwide for its signature IQF tunnel freezer, OctoFrost now offers a wide range of processing machineries and even complete IQF processing lines. This offers the processors the unique benefit of having a single supplier for the whole line.
This translates into three main advantages:
- 1. Optimized connection between the food processing machinery
- 2. Harmonized sizes of individual equipment
- 3. One source responsibility for support and technical service.
The food processors that opt for the OctoFrost complete IQF processing lines will get the valuable benefit of full customization, sophisticated and efficient technologies, and having a single supplier in charge of the optimized connection between food processing machineries, for the best IQF result.
The line can consist of the following pieces of food processing machinery: Impingement Flash (IF) Cooker, IF Blancher, IF Chiller, IQF tunnel freezer, as well as other intermediate equipment which might be needed by the processors. Each OctoFrost food processing machinery is unique and technologically sophisticated, built through continuous development and listening to the customers' real needs.
1. OCTOFROSTTM IF COOKER
The OctoFrostTM IF Cooker is the latest technological innovation in the shrimp processing industry, using the OctoFrostTM patented 3-temperature zones, which avoid the overcooking of the shrimp, resulting in the highest yield possible. The unique rain shower system of this food processing machinery guarantees the quickest heat transfer, allowing accurate temperature control within 0.2 degrees Celsius of the set temperatures. The water falls gently over the product by means of gravitation only. Product quality is therefore not compromised. Moreover, the rain shower system has a product cleaning function.
The OctoFrostTM IF Cooker is a food processing machinery that has 3 infeed possibilities, for the greatest flexibility in product variety: bulk, belt, and tray infeed.
The key benefits of the OctoFrostTM IF Cooker:
- highest possible yield due to cooking in the patented 3-temperature zones. Overcooking is avoided, enabling a high yield and a high-quality product (in terms of shape, color, bite, and texture);
- 100% food safety regarding homogenous cooking. There will be no undercooked meat, no grey spots, not even with small-sized peeled shrimp;
- full temperature control in each temperature zone due to the cross-flow water system;
- the OctoFrostTM IF Cooker is a food processing machinery designed for all types and sizes of shrimp;
- CIP system in place;
- significantly faster heat transfer due to the impingement rain shower system;
- a high volume of recirculated water over the product;
- energy efficient steam injection into the cooking water;
- optionally, the processor can opt for a weighing belt for an even infeed into the IF cooker;
- three infeed options that allow for great flexibility: bulk, belt, and tray infeed.
2. OCTOFROSTTM IF BLANCHER
The OctoFrostTM IF Blancher is a food processing machinery very similar to the IF Cooker. The only difference is that, while the IF Cooker is suitable only for shrimp, the IF Blancher works with fruits, vegetables, and other food products. Blanching is a cooking process where the vegetable or fruit is passed through hot water for a short period of time, followed by a plunge or passing through ice water, in order to halt the blanching process.
Blanching vegetables or fruits is done to stop the enzymatic process which would lead to the loss of flavor, nutrients, color, and texture. Blanching also cleanses the surface of bacteria and contaminants. Optimal blanching is achieved by quickly reaching the desired core temperature, followed by quick chilling.
The main benefits of this food processing machinery are:
- flexibility of different temperature zones, to avoid over blanching;
- energy efficient steam injection into the blanching water;
- cross-flow water circulation;
- significantly faster transfer due to the impingement rain shower system;
- high volume of recirculated water over the product;
- CIP system in place;
- weighing belt for an even infeed into the blancher;
- total control in blanching time and temperatures variations (different sections of the blancher can be turned on or off, with the additional flexibility of speeding up or speeding down the belt).
3. OCTOFROSTTM IF CHILLER
The OctoFrostTM IF Chiller is a food processing machinery that guarantees the quickest heat transfer through its rain shower system. The water is filtered, recirculated and then chilled by the plate heat exchanger (PHE). The PHE provides ice-water with a temperature of 1 degree Celsius. The system is designed to reach a product core temperature of 5 degrees Celsius or less.
Chilling is the process of quickly cooling down a product which has been cooked or blanched. The preferred chilled medium is cold water. Non-blanched or non-cooked products with a high core temperature can also be pre-chilled to enable an effective IQF freezing. Chilling is done to quickly stop the cooking or blanching process, to prevent excessive moisture loss (yield loss), to chill the product to the lowest possible temperature before IQF freezing, and to get quick crust freezing in order to limit dehydration for a product of premium quality.
The key benefits of the OctoFrostTM IF Chiller are:
- cross-flow water circulation;
- a quicker chilling process which improves yield and product quality;
- system temperature in the IF Chiller is below 6 degrees Celsius for reliable food safety;
- IQF Freezer performance and product quality (longer time between defrost, higher capacity, and less lump formation);
- significantly faster transfer due to the impingement rain shower system;
- a high volume of recirculated water over the product;
- CIP system in place.
4. OCTOFROSTTM IQF TUNNEL FREEZER
The OctoFrostTM IQF tunnel freezer is already well-known, being one of the most appreciated and technologically advanced pieces of food processing machinery in the world. The IQF tunnel freezer provides reliable food safety, energy efficiency, a high yield, and a natural appearance of the frozen products. Each of these benefits is a result of the unique features and the ingenious design of this freezer.
Its aerodynamics and unique design allow an adjustable airflow for each type of product, resulting in well-separated IQF products, as well as energy efficiency. Furthermore, the OctoFrost exchangeable bedplates, together with an open and cleanable design, ensure a reliable food safety.
All these characteristics make the IQF tunnel freezer the first choice for producers in more than 50 countries, who use this food processing machinery for freezing fruits, vegetables, seafood, berries, cheese, meat, poultry, pasta, and grain.
