Customers’ requirements for frozen berries keep evolving
Immunity-boosting fruits have received way more attention from consumers, as the pandemic has drawn…Immunity-boosting fruits have received way more attention from consumers, as the pandemic has drawn the focus towards foods that help strengthen immune system. According to Kerry Hultin, marketing specialist for OctoFrost, berries appear to be one of the fruits of choice: “Berries have proven to be an excellent choice, as they have an impressive profile when it comes to nutrition and health benefits. Keeping in mind that fresh berries are seasonal fruits, the catering sector as well as consumers have turned to frozen berries to ensure their vitamin intake once the season for berries is over.”
Hultin states that processors are always searching and investing in new solutions to meet the growing demand for frozen berries. “Costco announced that two of the top 3 best-frozen foods available in Costco in 2021 are frozen berries. To facilitate even more growth for the sector, the overall frozen quality, which includes the crispy texture and preservation of nutrients as well as the natural appearance, must be convincing to the consumer. Processors keep searching for and investing in innovative solutions to meet the ever-growing demand for frozen berries. They look for the solutions that can provide them with higher product yield, better-frozen results, and lower energy consumption.”
OctoFrost IQF berry processing solution
“OctoFrost offers a product-customized solution that reflects our extensive knowledge, which we’ve gained over years of experience in processing fragile, delicate, sticky products, which helps processors achieve the best product quality possible and low operation costs,” Hultin explains.
OctoFrost IQF Freezer
“Our OctoFrost IQF Freezer is applicable for a wide range of IQF products, including raspberries, blueberries, blackberries etc., and even sticky strawberry cubes or sliced strawberries. The machine has multiple freezing zones with adjustable fan-speed, which ensure the integrity of berries and prevent them from being damaged,” Hultin says. “When IQF freezing berries, less than 0.5% of the water in the product is lost, which according to our customers, is the lowest percentage on the market. Our IQF Freezer has a small footprint, but comes with a high capacity compared to other similar sized IQF freezers. On top of that, the machine is easy to clean and thanks to high efficiency fans up to 30% of the energy is saved.”
“For IQF Freezer capacity to increase, efficient chilling for low infeed temperature is critical. For that, we highly recommend pairing our IQF Freezer with an OctoFrost IF Chiller or a Waterbath Chiller. However, processors can still run the IQF Freezer without a Chiller. The OctoFrost Chiller is capable of using high volumes of filtered and recirculated 1°C water, which contributes to quick and even chilling. The crossflow water circulation results in quickest possible chilling and products are chilled to below 5°C, preparing for an efficient IQF freezing.” Hultin concludes.
