Among the machines used to keep food fresh for a long time, blast freezers and refrigerators have different uses, and understanding the difference between the two machines can be of great help to you. Whether you are a restaurant owner or a food industry operator, this guide will help you understand the difference between blast freezer and ordinary refrigerators in an easy-to-understand way, including cooling temperature range, freezing speed, impact on food quality, and efficacy. Learn how to use each type and which type is better for specific food preservation and storage applications.
How Does Blast Chiller And Refrigerators Work
Quick freezers: Blast freezers use high-speed circulation of ultra-low temperature air to quickly lower the temperature of food. The freezing time is very fast, which means that the freshness, taste and nutrition of food can be locked in greatly.
Refrigerators: Refrigerators cool by absorbing heat through the evaporation of refrigerants, and the evaporation of refrigerants takes time, which means that the freezing time of refrigerators will be slower and ice crystals are easily formed. Incomplete freezing can easily affect the texture of some foods. It has certain limitations.
Key Factor: Freezing Temperature
Freezing temperature is a key factor in determining the performance of a freezer. In the comparison between blast chiller and refrigerators, the normal operating temperature of blast chiller commercial is -45 degrees Celsius, which can be customized to -80 degrees Celsius under certain circumstances. It can quickly freeze food, prevent food from losing moisture, and retain its texture, flavor, and nutrition.
The lowest temperature of a refrigerator is generally -10 degrees Celsius, which can meet the short-term storage needs of daily leftovers and food. It lacks the ability to quickly freeze food. Over time, the quality, taste and nutrition of the food will be lost to varying degrees.
Blast Freezer And Refrigerator: Which Is The First Choice For Food Preservation?
In terms of storage time and storage quality, blast freezers are undoubtedly more advantageous than ordinary refrigerators. Blast freezers freeze food quickly, effectively protecting the texture, nutrition and flavor of food. Refrigerators gradually freeze food, and have a fresh-keeping area to reduce the thawing time, which is undoubtedly very friendly to home users because they can be taken out and eaten at any time.
However, if you store food for a long time and in large quantities,blast freezer are undoubtedly a better choice. The maximum internal storage space of blast freezers can reach 1100L, which is the most ideal choice for companies that must keep seafood and meat fresh. blast freezers and refrigerators have their own advantages, and you need to find your first choice based on your needs.
The Impact Of Freezing Speed On Food Quality
Freezing speed has a huge impact on the quality of food. In the duel between quick freezers and refrigerators, blast freezers win. Rapidly lowering the temperature can preserve the nutrition and flavor of food to the greatest extent. Although refrigerators are suitable for personal use at home, they freeze food slowly, and the moisture in the food will overflow on its surface to form ice crystals, causing frostbite and obvious quality degradation. If maintaining the flavor and texture of food is important to you, freezing speed is undoubtedly a key factor you must consider.
Preservation Technology: The Difference Between Buick Freezers And Refrigerators
When preserving food, blast freezers use completely different technology from ordinary freezers. blast freezers freeze food quickly by blowing ultra-low temperature air at high speed. This method keeps ice crystals small, helping to maintain the texture, flavor and nutrients of food
Refrigerators rely on slower, steady cooling, which is suitable for daily use, but will form larger ice crystals. Over time, this will affect the texture of food and even cause frostbite. For the long-term preservation of delicate foods, the technology of blast freezer is unparalleled.
Why Ice Crystals Form？
Ice crystals form when the water in the food crystallizes during the freezing process. Water is liquid at room temperature, but when the temperature drops below 0°C, the water molecules begin to rearrange and form solid ice crystals when they encounter cold air on the surface of the food. This process is called crystallization. If the freezing speed is slow, the water in the food has enough time to form larger ice crystals. These large ice crystals will damage the texture of the food, causing the food to become soft and lose a lot of water after thawing. If the freezing speed is fast, the water will quickly form a large number of small ice crystals. These small ice crystals will cause less damage to the texture of the food and can better maintain the original texture and flavor of the food.
Comparison Of Energy Efficiency Between Blast Freezers And Refrigerators
The working principle of blast freezers is to freeze food in a short time and high-intensity freezing cycle, which means that a lot of electricity and energy will be consumed in a short time. But from the perspective of long-term operation, it can reduce the freezing operation time and effectively prevent waste caused by food spoilage. Energy consumption range:
Small blast freezer (100-200 liters): daily energy consumption is about 2.0-4.0 kilowatt-hours (kWh).
Medium-sized blast freezer (200-400 liters): daily energy consumption is about 4.0-8.0 kWh.
Large blast freezer (more than 400 liters): daily energy consumption is about 8.0-15.0 kWh.
Refrigerators are more energy-efficient in daily use, but they cannot freeze at high speed. They can fully meet the needs for daily storage, but are not conducive to long-term storage. Energy consumption range:
Small refrigerator (100-200 liters): daily energy consumption is about 0.5-1.0 kWh.
Medium refrigerator (200-400 liters): daily energy consumption is about 1.0-1.5 kWh.
Large refrigerator (more than 400 liters): daily energy consumption is about 1.5-2.5 kWh.
Choosing a blast freezer or a refrigerator depends on your actual needs. They each have their own advantages. If you want to freeze quickly and store for a long time, a blast freezer is undoubtedly your best choice, but if you are just looking for a reliable daily fresh-keeping storage device, a refrigerator is enough. No matter what machine you choose, the key is to find a solution that suits your life or business.
If you are not sure about your needs or want to inquire about other food preservation solutions, you can contact Pecold. They specialize in refrigeration equipment and can bring you professional solutions and help you choose the right equipment.
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