IQF products have steadily been increasing in popularity for decades now. This innovative approach has single-handedly brought the freezing industry to new heights.
However, not many know about it, which is what this article aims to correct. Taking IQF pasta as an example, we’ll delve into what exactly IQF is, how its unique properties serve to create premium pasta products and how you, and everyone else, can benefit from it.
Challenges
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When looking to freeze pasta, it’s important to be aware of the challenges ahead of time, and be able to prepare accordingly. So, what problems could surface when your one goal is to freeze pasta without ruining the taste or texture.
One problem you might run into is that it keeps sticking together. Nobody likes a mushy product, much less a frozen one. People buy what they see, and what they know, so if the pasta looks unappetizing when frozen, it’s likely to get the pass. Part of the enjoyment of pasta, or consuming other types of grains lies in the easy separation of it. Preparation becomes a cinch when separating the pasta pieces is easy. Not only does it allow the consumer to take as much as necessary, saving the rest for later, but it also makes packaging easier. You will no longer be limited by the frozen volume of pasta you need to pack, and are free to design the package as you see fit.
The second problem that immediately comes to the forefront is the matter of hygiene. Taste-wise, texture-wise, and overall appearance is often less important than this crucial point. Given that pasta is generally similar in terms of taste, what will matter is the filling or added things you will mix into it. However, how healthy it is to eat will affect sales much more. Pasta that doesn’t look well-rinsed, well-cooked, or might cause stomach problems won’t see much success.
What IQF does to solve them
IQF grains are the perfect solution for both issues. Here’s how: when it comes to product separation, no process is better than IQF, which stands for “individually quick-frozen.” Freezing such products with a pasta processing machine is done by introducing two air-flows, which blow in opposite directions. This lifts the product in the air and ensures it does not have the opportunity to stick together, creating the ultimate separation process.
The air circulation is easily controllable through adjustable fans’ speed and the frigid air freezes the product quickly, ensuring speed is kept at a maximum for high yield.
Hygiene is the second concern, and here, too, the best possible solution is still IQF. There even is a novel hygienic solution available on the market using bedplate technology. This technology has holes in the middle of removable plates, which lets air flow through, but prevents the product from falling through them. The removable plates can be easily replaced during processing, without breaking stride. That makes cleaning them effortless and ensures it never costs you extra. Finally, a final advantage is that this approach currently far exceeds industry regulations when it comes to hygiene. That makes it the perfect future-proof approach, preventing costs down the line and ensuring your product will always be up to par.
Why is IQF pasta better?
In addition to handily solving the previously stated challenges, there are things that IQF-produced grains and pasta simply do better. Here are some of them:
- Custom product design – when you use IQF to freeze pasta, you can be certain that the product will have an extremely high likeness to what you’ve got planned. Some freezing methods would distort the flavor, color, texture, or other aspects of appearance, but not this one. The product you plan for will be the product you can deliver to the customer, giving you more freedom over what you want to achieve.
- Dedicated equipment – there is no reinventing the wheel needed here. The pasta processing equipment supplies all the tools you need to set up an enterprise without much technical friction. With a dedicated central support service, you’re sure to solve any technical or efficiency issues quickly. You will have all the knowledge necessary to achieve the best possible IQF product and keep profitability high.
- Premium quality – unlike other freezing methods, freezing pasta through the IQF method doesn’t cause nutrient loss. Compared to most other approaches, which create large ice crystals during the freezing process, IQF’s ice crystals are small enough not to damage cellular walls. Therefore, no discoloration or changes in shape or taste happen with time. That makes it the perfect solution to create a product that’s as healthy as it is good-looking.
- High yield – despite the carefully crafted process, it nonetheless supports a large volume of production. The reason for this is twofold: excellent speed and considerable efficiency. Each infeed possibility is large enough to cover as much as you need to produce up to 15 000 kg/h of product. Additionally, each step of the process involves a careful, yet highly expedient and time-effective process. From cooling to washing it down, the product spends as little time as necessary to be of top-quality in the designated area, and then it is immediately taken further.
An endless production cycle
Pasta and grains are typically in easy supply. It isn’t difficult to have easy access to large volumes of it, so the next logical step, distribution, often becomes the bottleneck. A good supplier helps you avoid that, such as OctoFrost Link – an online network of suppliers and buyers for premium IQF products.
The quick processing time ensures that the unique quality and appeal you’re aiming for aren’t lost, and the quick freezing ensures that the product will keep well for years to come. In other words, it’s a production cycle that is hard to beat, allowing for highly competitive prices and a top-end level of quality.
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