What is a commercial blast chiller?

A blast chiller is a piece of equipment that quickly lowers the temperature of food. They typically have multiple shelves where food pans or sheet pans can be stored and chilled at extremely low temperatures.

How cold is a commercial blast chiller?

Blast chillers drop food temperatures from 160 degrees F to 35 degrees F in 4 hours or quicker with some models. Blast chillers bring food temperatures down using a combination of cold and moving air across the product, which expedites the process.

What is the use of blast chiller in the commercial kitchen?

A blast chiller is a commercial refrigeration unit that brings down the temperature of food at an accelerated rate as compared to typical refrigerators and freezers, thus minimizing the growth of bacteria and better preserving the quality of the food.

Is a blast chiller A vehicles of contamination?

Is a Blast Chiller a Vehicle of Contamination? The “danger zone” for bacteria is the 41°F to 135°F range, and if food stays in this range for too long, it can become contaminated. In fact, cooling food with a QuickChiller reduces time food is in the danger zone by 80%.

What does a blast chiller cost?

The Freddy blast chiller retails for $2,900, and you can head to Irinox to shop and learn more about how it works.

What temperature should a blast chiller be?

A standard blast chiller will chill from 70°C to 3°C in less than 90 minutes, and a blast freezer will chill from 70°C to -18°C in less than 240 minutes. A Williams blast chiller or freezer can pull down from 90°C meaning it’s safe for cooked food.

Does a blast chiller freeze?

Blast chiller/freezers are your best choice for rapidly freezing food products for longer term storage. Blast freezing allows chefs to prepare menu items and rapidly freeze for later use.

How does a blast chiller differ from a typical refrigerator?

The blast chiller is a cousin of the refrigerator, another appliance designed to store food between +3 °C and +5 °C, but the blast chiller is a higher grade and more expensive appliance and is usually only found in commercial kitchens.

How do you chill food quickly?

Cover pans of hot food and move them to a colder area e.g. a storage room, or stand them in cold water. You can also use ice to speed up chilling. This will make the contents of the pans chill more quickly. Stir food regularly while it is chilling down.

What is the most common vehicle for cross contamination?

Common vehicles of contamination include food-preparation surfaces, chopping and cutting boards, knives and utensils, cloths and hands. Raw food dripping on to cooked food can also cause contamination.

How long can a foodborne illness last?

Signs and symptoms may start within hours after eating the contaminated food, or they may begin days or even weeks later. Sickness caused by food poisoning generally lasts from a few hours to several days.

Is a blast chiller necessary?

While a blast chiller is not a necessity, it can increase your productivity in the kitchen. A commercial freezer is necessary to keep your food frozen and out of the danger zone, but freezing your food in a commercial freezer will not preserve the quality of your food.

How does a blast freezer work?

Blast chillers or freezers operate by blowing forced cooled air over food placed inside. These specialized freezers usually have various settings that can be selected depending on if your food is room temperature, chilled, or hot. This rapid cooling process decreases the number of ice crystals that appear on food.

What is Blast chilling and how does it benefit restaurants?

Blast chilling lengthens the shelf life of food to help your restaurant reduce food waste. This allows restaurants to blast chill food, thaw it, and then serve it at almost the same quality as fresh food. Below are some of the key benefits of blast chilling or blast freezing.

What are the benefits of Blast chilling or blast freezing?

Below are some of the key benefits of blast chilling or blast freezing. Blast chilling can also be used to assist chefs and cooks during making entrees. For example, you can quickly cool down a pasta dish in a blast freezer and add sauce once it is cooled.