A complete explanation of rapid freezer! Explanation of benefits, examples, and advantageous subsidy information

​rapid freezer are attracting attention as a new refrigeration technology.

It has the advantage of being able to be frozen with almost no loss in quality, and has been introduced by various food-related businesses.

On this page, we will introduce everything about rapid freezer rapid freezer their types, how to choose them, and their prices.

Please read until the end, as we will also introduce you to a cost-effective introduction method using subsidies.

What is rapid freezer (flash freezer/shock freezer)?

Naturally, a "rapid freezer" refers to a "mechanical device that can perform rapid freezing."

There are multiple ways to express it, and there are various names such as ` rapid freezer'', `` rapid freezing'', ``flash freezing machine'', ``flash freezing machine'', ``instant freezer'', and ``shock freezer'', but none of them are. They refer to almost the same thing. Also, it is basically used for business purposes.

So, what does "rapid freezing" mean?

First of all, freezing generally refers to freezing food and keeping it below -18℃.

On the other hand, rapid freezing refers to the freezing method described below.

Although it is not a strictly defined term, "rapid freezing" generally refers to a method of freezing so that the temperature passes through the maximum ice crystal formation zone (-1℃ to -5℃) within 30 minutes. Masu.

When freezing does not quickly pass through the "maximum ice crystal formation zone" as in normal freezing (slow freezing), a "phenomenon in which ice crystals break through cell membranes" occurs, greatly affecting the quality, flavor, and texture of the food. Lower it.

On the other hand, like rapid freezing (flash freezing), Freezing that quickly passes through the "maximum ice crystal formation zone" If you do this, "the phenomenon of ice crystals breaking the cell membrane" will not occur, so Maintains food quality, flavor, and texture can.

In other words, in theory, high-quality freezing can be achieved by freezing the material so that it passes through the maximum ice crystal formation zone (-1°C to -5°C) as quickly as possible.

This is called `` rapid freezing'', and the mechanical devices that can do this are `` rapid freezer'', ``quick freezing machine'', ``quick freezer'', ``flash freezing machine'', ``flash rapid freezing machine'', ``flash freezer'', and ``shock freezer''. ” and so on.

Recently, rapid freezer of household refrigerators has become more sophisticated, but commercial rapid freezer have a much stronger cooling capacity than home-use ones, so the freezing speed is completely different. Masu. As a result, the quality has improved by an order of magnitude.

Nowadays, thanks to improvements in the technical capabilities of each rapid freezer manufacturer, high-quality products such as fresh fish, meat, vegetables, fruits, sashimi, sushi, soba, udon, ramen, and curry, as well as bread, Japanese sweets, and fried foods, are now available. It is now possible to freeze.

rapid freezer have come to be used in a variety of situations in the food industry because they can freeze all types of food to high quality. rapid freezer capable of rapid freezing have become a new standard for commercial frozen food manufacturing and freezing methods.

What are the benefits of introducing rapid freezer?

rapid freezer are used in various scenes in the food industry.

So what are the actual benefits?

Here, we would like to introduce the benefits of introducing it through several case studies.

①Improve sales

rapid freezer are often introduced for the purpose of increasing sales.

～Issues related to sales that we would like to solve with rapid freezer as asked by customers～

• I want to expand my sales channels to mail order and distant areas.
• I want to open multiple stores with a central kitchen.
• I want to eliminate losses due to expiration dates and quality deterioration.

Using rapid freezer, you can freeze a variety of foods without losing quality, such as fresh fish, meat, vegetables, fruits, sashimi, sushi, soba, udon, ramen, curry, bread, Japanese sweets, and fried foods.

If you are a producer or processor of meat, fish, vegetables, or fruits, you can preserve and distribute your products without worrying about expiration dates or quality deterioration.

For this reason, there are many cases in which rapid freezer are used to sell products to distant locations such as overseas. We also have many customers who sell directly to consumers via mail order.

If you are a restaurant owner, you can rapid freezing the products you normally serve in your store and sell them as frozen foods through mail order.

If you rapid freezing freshly made products, you can serve them without losing much of their taste or flavor even after thawing.

Furthermore, if used in a central kitchen, products can be manufactured and frozen in bulk, making it possible to open multiple stores without increasing the number of cooks.

In addition, by using rapid freezer, it is possible to preserve food without worrying about expiration dates or quality deterioration.

This allows you to sell items that would otherwise have been thrown away (loss), increasing sales and profit margins.

②Quality improvement

~Issues related to quality improvement that customers would like to solve with rapid freezer ~

• I want to distribute while maintaining freshness.
• Want to prevent quality deterioration during distribution and processing processes

It goes without saying, but the taste, flavor, and freshness of fresh foods deteriorate over time.

Therefore, when handling raw ingredients, quality deterioration occurs from the moment of distribution. The ability to maintain the taste, flavor, and freshness of raw foods is a major advantage of rapid freezer.

This makes it possible to transport ingredients in a high-quality state that is close to raw, even to distant areas where it would take time to deliver them.

Another problem with fresh fish is that it tends to lose its freshness when processed, so it is often distributed as a whole fish without any processing.

Even in such cases, by using rapid freezer, you can stop quality deterioration and distribute the product.

With the latest freezing technology, by rapid freezing processed products, it is now possible to distribute them while preserving their quality and shape.

③I want to make manufacturing, cooking, and operations more efficient.

～Issues related to sales that we would like to solve with rapid freezer as asked by customers～

• I want to expand my sales channels to mail order and distant areas.
• I want to open multiple stores with a central kitchen.
• I want to eliminate losses due to expiration dates and quality deterioration.

rapid freezer can also help improve manufacturing and cooking processes.

Production of seasonal products such as New Year's dishes and Christmas-limited products is concentrated at a certain time. Naturally, the gap between busy and off-season becomes larger, which puts a strain on employees.

With rapid freezer, it is possible to maintain the same quality even one year after manufacture.

Therefore, it is possible to achieve planned production even for items that must be produced in large quantities only during busy periods.

It can also be used for pre-cooking for the same reason.

By cooking everything in bulk, from preparation to the final finished product, and then freezing it in rapid freezer, you can streamline the time and process from ordering to serving.

This allows operations to be run with a small number of people, and anyone can easily cook and serve food even without experience.

The same thing can be said when using a central kitchen system, and there are cases where multiple stores can be operated without a chef by consolidating production.

By manufacturing products in bulk, it is easy to reduce material costs and labor costs.

In-store work can also be simplified, allowing even unskilled people to run operations.

What kind of freezing principle does rapid freezer have?

There are rapid freezer that can freeze a variety of things with high quality, but what types are there?

The freezing principle (cooling mechanism) of rapid freezer differs depending on the manufacturer.

In this chapter, we will introduce five types of freezing principles of typical rapid freezer.

①Air blast type (air freezing)

This is the most popular freezing method. By blowing chilled air onto the food, it absorbs the heat from the food and freezes it.

Since it works the same way as a regular freezer, there are many people who think that it will not be possible rapid freezing. “The special way of blowing air speeds up the heat exchange rate and removes heat efficiently.” and "Lower the temperature inside the refrigerator" This makes it possible to freeze food at a completely different speed than previous methods, making it possible to rapid freezing.

The temperature inside the freezer varies depending on the model, and most are -35℃. However, in order to rapid freezing (= rapidly remove heat), factors other than temperature must be considered.

The lower the temperature, the better it is, but it is necessary to apply the air according to the characteristics and shape of the food.

【merit】

Because the product is frozen by blowing air, it is possible to freeze products in all conditions, including vacuum-wrapping and freezing, freezing the whole vat, and freezing the ingredients naked.

It is characterized by being very easy to work with, requiring no effort, and being very easy to use.

In addition, by freezing ingredients naked, you can maintain their appearance and create better-looking products.

【Demerit】

Depending on the type of rapid freezer, the food may dry out because it blows air directly onto the product. Therefore, depending on the product to be frozen, it is necessary to carefully examine the model of rapid freezer.

Additionally, some products require defrosting, which makes continuous operation difficult and may shorten operating time.

(Example: 2 to 3 hours of freezing operation → 1 hour of rest for defrosting → 2 to 3 hours of freezing operation repeated)

[Recommended models]

Recommended is Art Rock Freezer (Manufacturer: Daybreak Co., Ltd.)

Artlock Freezer is equipped with a micro-wind system, which allows food to be frozen without drying out. In addition, the anti-frost mechanism prevents frost formation and allows continuous operation for up to 72 hours.

Therefore, there is no longer a long operating time due to food drying or frosting, which is a disadvantage of the air blast type.

Additionally, since it has the ability to freeze products at any temperature, it is also possible to freeze freshly made hot products.

For example, freshly fried tempura, pizza just baked in the oven, etc.

②Liquid type (liquid freezing)

A liquid-type rapid freezer freezes food by cooling an antifreeze solution such as alcohol to -10℃ to -35℃ and then soaking the food in it.

Food must be vacuum packed to prevent non-freezing liquids such as alcohol from coming into contact with the food.

Due to its high thermal conductivity, cooling efficiency is high and freezing speed is faster.

【merit】

Freezing speed is faster than air blast type.

Example: Air blast type 25 minutes, liquid type 18 minutes

It is compatible with thick ingredients (such as block meat) and can be frozen quickly.

【Demerit】

​Vacuum packaging is required because the food is soaked in alcohol. Therefore, it is not suitable for products that are difficult to vacuum pack (such as cakes that will collapse) or products that would deteriorate if vacuum packed.

Vacuum packaging, being careful about adding alcohol and handling, checking to make sure there are no holes in the vacuum bag at the corners of the food, and wiping off the alcohol after freezing are time-consuming.

[Recommended models]

We recommend the Rejoice freezer.

It is a product that has excellent cost performance among liquid types and is easy to use.

There is a wide range of sizes available, from small ones that operate on a 100V power supply, so you can choose the optimal size refrigerator.

③Contact type (contact freezing)

It is also called plate freezing.

Sometimes called a contact freezer, this is a method of rapidly freezing food by placing the food directly on the cooling section.

The cooling part is a metal plate called a flat tank, and a refrigerant at -30℃ to -40℃ flows inside.

It is said that the cooling efficiency is good because the cooled metal comes into direct contact with the food.

【merit】

Because of direct contact, it is also possible to pressurize at the same time, making it possible to mold foodstuffs to a predetermined height.

Therefore, it is often used for mass production of meat, surimi, etc.​

【Demerit】

Since the flat tank comes into direct contact with the product, it is limited to products packaged in the same way as the liquid type.

In addition, contact freezers remove heat when the flat tank touches the food, so if there is a lot of air inside the product's packaging or the product does not stick tightly to the flat tank when pressurized, freezing will be slow. It will become.

④Liquefied gas type

Although it is not very common, it is a method of freezing using liquefied gas such as liquefied nitrogen or liquefied carbon dioxide.

It is possible to apply gas at -78.5℃ for liquefied carbon dioxide and -196℃ for liquefied nitrogen to food. Therefore, high quality freezing can be achieved.

【merit】

Since it uses liquefied gas, there is no need for a refrigerant or heat exchanger to cool the inside of the refrigerator.

As rapid freezer, maintenance is relatively easy due to its simple structure.

【Demerit】

It requires the use of liquid nitrogen or liquefied carbon dioxide, and must be handled with care.

There are risks, such as a lack of oxygen due to gas filling and the risk of catching fire and exploding.

Additionally, since liquid nitrogen or liquefied carbon dioxide must be used, running costs are relatively high compared to alcohol freezing or air freezing.

⑤Special method type

There are types of rapid freezer that do not fall into any of the above categories. On this page, it is referred to as a "special method type."

A typical example is a system that uses magnetic flux, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields, vibrations, etc. to ` `freeze water molecules by putting them in the optimal state for freezing.''

This mechanism theoretically allows cells to be frozen without destroying them.

【merit】

Theoretically, it is possible to freeze the food without destroying the cells, which may improve the quality.

However, in terms of quality, there may be a difference in quality and there may be no difference in quality, so if you are considering purchasing it, we recommend that you conduct a freeze test to confirm.

【Demerit】

The cost tends to increase because it is equipped with a ``mechanism that puts water molecules in the optimal state for freezing.''

In this way, rapid freezer have multiple freezing principles, and their characteristics differ greatly.

So how should you choose rapid freezer?

In the next chapter, we will introduce how to choose rapid freezer.

How to choose rapid freezer

From here, we will introduce how to choose rapid freezer.

Of course, the selection of rapid freezer is very important. There are many people who say that they should have purchased a different model after purchasing it, so choose carefully.

When choosing rapid freezer, it is important to consider the food to be frozen and the operation, and to choose the size based on the amount of frozen processing, not the internal capacity.

I will explain each one.

① Select the freezing principle that suits the food to be frozen and the operation.

What is especially important when choosing rapid freezer is the compatibility of the food to be frozen, the operation, and the freezing principle.

This compatibility greatly changes the quality and productivity of the product.

“What characteristics do frozen foods have?”

“In what conditions should you freeze ingredients?”

“Should I package before or after freezing?”

“What is the process from rapid freezing to storage in the freezer?”

“How much and how long should I store it in the freezer?”

Make your selection after considering these factors to some extent.

・Types of refrigeration principles

・Size of rapid freezer

・Cart-in type that freezes the entire trolley, and tray-in type that allows you to insert and remove trays with ingredients lined up.

The selection of rapid freezer will make a big difference.

If you have not yet decided on the ingredients to be frozen or the operation, or if you are installing rapid freezer for the first time, we recommend that you check with a professional.

②Select the size based on the amount of frozen processing, not the internal capacity.

Normally, the size of refrigerators and freezers is often determined by the internal capacity (how many liters).

However, the number one reason when choosing the size of rapid freezer is ``determining the size based on the internal capacity.''

This is a common example of a common failure.

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・Actual failure examples

In a freezing test, I froze 3 pieces of fish fillet and it froze in 30 minutes.

It turns out that if you fill the refrigerator with fillets of this fish, it will hold 15 kg.

I chose this model based on the premise that it could freeze 30 kg per hour (15 kg x 2 rotations in 30 minutes).

When I actually put 15kg in the refrigerator and froze it, it took 2 hours to freeze, and I was only able to freeze 1/4 of what I expected.

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The number one cause of this failure is insufficient power of the refrigerator.

rapid freezer has a part called a refrigerator, which is the engine of the machine, and how much it can freeze (how much heat energy it can take from the product) varies greatly depending on the power of this refrigerator.

If you put more food into the refrigerator than the refrigerator can cool, the refrigerator's cooling capacity will not be able to keep up and the temperature inside the refrigerator will rise. As a result, the freezing speed slows down, resulting in situations such as ``the expected amount cannot be frozen'' or ``the quality is worse than expected.''

Therefore, it is important to choose rapid freezer based on the freezing processing capacity (frozen amount per hour).

Freezing processing varies depending on the moisture content and ingredients of the food, so be sure to check with the manufacturer about the amount of freezing required for the food you are actually freezing.

So far, we have introduced how to choose rapid freezer.

Choosing rapid freezer is often thought to be easy, but it is extremely difficult to select the best rapid freezer because a variety of knowledge is required.

Therefore, it is very important to inform the rapid freezing freezing manufacturer of the products and purpose to be frozen, conduct a freezing test, and decide what kind of principle to choose.

What is the price of rapid freezer?

The price of rapid freezer varies depending on the characteristics of the product and the principle of freezing.

Additionally, the price generally increases or decreases in proportion to the amount of frozen processing (amount of frozen material per hour).

The smallest type of `` rapid freezer'' that is commonly known in the world costs from 2 million yen, and the higher the performance, the higher the price.

In addition, there are an increasing number of small rapid freezer can be introduced for prices starting from several hundred thousand yen, although the performance and freezing quality will be lower, so it is best to consider installing one after looking at the price and performance.

In addition, transportation and installation costs may vary depending on the installation area, floor, delivery conditions, etc., so if you want to calculate accurate costs, we recommend clarifying the conditions and inquiring.

rapid freezer last?

As introduced above, rapid freezer are not cheap.

Therefore, many people may be wondering how long the equipment can be used for.

The legal service life of rapid freezer as determined by the National Tax Agency, is set at 6 years for kitchen equipment and 10 years for production equipment.

However, the legal service life does not necessarily mean the lifespan.

In reality, they are often used for longer than their legal service life, with rapid freezer being used regularly for over 10 years, and in some cases over 20 years.

It is a product that can be used for more than 10 years, although this will vary depending on the usage, maintenance, and maintenance conditions at the site.

If you want to introduce it, we recommend subsidy!

As introduced above, rapid freezer can be used for over 10 years, making them extremely cost-effective.

Some customers choose to install it as is, but there are also many customers who take advantage of tax incentives and subsidies to make it more cost-effective.

Among the many subsidies and subsidy systems, the ones with the highest usage rates are ``manufacturing subsidies'' and ``business restructuring subsidies.'' (As of 2023) Small and medium-sized enterprises are eligible for both, and the upper limit of the subsidy amount is 1 million yen to 40 million yen for the "manufacturing subsidy" and 1 million yen to 100 million yen for the "business restructuring subsidy". It is possible to receive subsidies for large and various scale businesses.

In addition, there are many examples of implementation using subsidies from prefectures, municipalities, etc.​

For more information, please feel free to contact our dedicated staff.

In addition, if you use a consulting company affiliated with Daybreak, we will provide support for the creation of time-consuming documents and reports after the grant is selected.

We can solve all your worries about subsidies, such as those who want to just give up on subsidy documentation because it's a hassle, or those who are applying for a subsidy for the first time and don't know what to do.

If you are a major company or have trouble paying for subsidies, we recommend leasing or rental (operating lease)!

We have provided information about subsidies above, but in the case of major companies, they are often not eligible for subsidies, so they are often unable to use them.

We also hear that some people do not want to take advantage of subsidies because it takes time to create materials, prepare materials, and report after receiving a grant.

If you want to keep costs down and save time, but you can't install it because of the high price, we recommend leasing or rental (operating lease).

This makes it possible to use rapid freezer while greatly reducing the initial cost of introducing it. If you use a lease or rental system, you can use it for a monthly fee of several tens of thousands of yen, which greatly lowers the hurdles to introduction.

Conclusion

On this page, we have introduced an overview of rapid freezer.

When choosing rapid freezing, you need to compare and choose one that takes into account compatibility with the ingredients and operation. When you actually start considering it, we recommend that you first test the ingredients and select the equipment.

You can try out various types of rapid freezer below. Please feel free to contact us. We also conduct online tests.