AEF FREEZING FOR BERRIES
- Pechurin Anders
- Mar 7, 2022
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 6, 2023
El País
“AEF freezing is not only faster than the traditional approaches, but, moreover, acoustic waves of AEF technology prevent cell disruption, being inevitable until now.”
AEF EQUIPMENT GENERATES ACOUSTIC WAVES, WHICH RESULT IN FORMATION OF ICE NANOCRYSTALS AND PROTECT FROM THE IMPACT OF THESE FACTORS
Growth of Ice Crystals
It is especially significant when freezing berries, as they have the most fragile cell structure, which can be damaged when freezing even with the fastest IQF freezing the way as you can see in the “Growth of Ice Crystals” video above. (By the way, it is a common misconception that the faster berries are frozen, the less damage their cell structure experiences). In the “Growth of Ice Crystals” video we can see what happens with the berries of the special grade, made for freezing, after defrosting.
BERRIES AFTER IQF
BERRIES AFTER AEF
WHAT HAPPENS WITH BERRIES WHEN THEY ARE STORED IN A FREEZER COMPARTMENT AFTER SHOCK FREEZING AND AEF
SHOCK FREEZING
When storing in a freezer compartment at - 18°С for several months, ice crystals, resulting from freezing, become dry and make pores, through which air penetrates, thus causing drying, to say nothing about taste. The reason is as follows. When freezing, liquid inside berries outputs salts, which produce concentrated salt liquor inside berries. During storage, this liquor “burns out” proteins and destroys taste, making berries sour.
AEF FREEZING
When storing in a freezer compartment at - 18°С for several months, ice nanocrystals, resulting from freezing, bring almost no damage to the cell structure of berries, as they are too small to see even with a microscope and they are small enough to be located inside cells. This is why even after long-term storage moisture loss is minimal during defrosting.
BENEFITS FROM USING THE AEF TECHNOLOGY
Berries have expressed natural taste even after long-term storage.
Minimal weight loss.
Preservation of form and cell structure.
AEF TECHNOLOGY
Acoustic waves do not generate cold, but influence on incipient ice crystals;
AEF technology is intended for application in combination with industrial freezing chambers and tunnel freezers, including spiral freezers;
AEF technology comprises of:
- equipment – acoustic radiators, electronic boards;
- software – product-specific freezing protocols for different types of products;
- 3-D CAD for power optimization and directing of acoustic and air waves within the chamber.
Abat 20 AEF / AEF + AEF-AERO for spiral chamber / AEF + AEF-AERO in the freezer.
PROGRESS AND ACTUAL STATUS
2018 - AEF equipment obtained CE certificate of the EC;
2018 - AEF technology was introduced at Seafood Expo North America - 2018 in Boston, the USA;
As of October 1, 2021 more than 120 units of AEF equipment (15 units – resale) were sold in 27 countries;
Product tests and negotiating with the key customers such as HIPP, Danone, Fazer, Nord Frost and others are in progress;
The technology obtained PCT international patent;
It has been included in Global FoodTech 500 starting from 2020.
AEF exhibit booth at Seafood Expo North America. Boston, USA. March 2018.
COMPETITIVE DECISION – CAS
AEF – is a world-unique digital freezing technology that uses different product-specific freezing protocols for different types of products;
A well-known “shock freezing” was invented more than hundred years ago and has not been improved a lot since then. This approach had long been obsolete. The best results in pork freezing – thawing loss of 4.5% and grade deterioration. Acoustic technology – thawing loss of 1.5% and maintenance of grade.
AEF is the only “digital” frosting technology in the world, which uses various algorithms to freeze various products and which allows fine adjustment of acoustic waves for specific products.
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