Cooling and Freezing of Prepacked Meals
Prepackaged and already made frozen foods, save time and are convenient for quick meals or for people who can’t cook. Cold temperatures are key for food freezing which is used to keep packages from spoiling, and transiting to other places.
After frozen food is prepared, it is placed on a conveyer belt and is portioned into trays. The trays are the sent to the packaging station. The food is then packaged and a vacuum seal is created. Evaporation does not occur. This means the prepackaged food will not be dried out, have freezer burn, or have chemical/physical changes. The product then moves to the freezing section.
The trays are moved into freezing cabinets. There are three popular types of freezing methods, cold air blast, direct liquid immersion and indirect contact (plates). Cold air is the best method, and uses a freeze tunnel. Fans inside the tunnel blow forced air around the tray. Temperatures can reach -75°F and freeze food instantly.
After freezing the food packages they are then transported to grocery stores. During transport and arrival, the food packages should be kept at 0°F to not receive damage or spoilage.
