What Is A Blast Freezer?

Q: Why use a blast freezer?

When food is frozen, the water inside crystallises into ice. The longer the freezing process takes, the larger the ice crystals can form, which can damage food by causing cell bursting and negatively affecting quality and flavour. Blast freezing rapidly freezes food, creating much smaller ice crystals that preserve food at a higher quality. Once food has been blast frozen, it can then be transferred to a standard freezer for longer-term storage, as long as the correct temperature is maintained.

Q: How do you blast freeze?

Blast freezing is typically achieved using powerful blower fans that force cold air across the contents of the freezer to chill food rapidly. Some blast freezers use alternative designs and may include moving trays or multiple compartments to position food for efficient freezing. Unlike standard freezers, blast freezers are designed to handle foods at room temperature or freshly cooked without significantly raising the internal temperature.

Simply put, a blast freezer is a freezer that is very cold.

Blast freezers are sometimes referred to as shock freezers. This type of freezer storage rapidly brings down the temperature of (usually) cooked or fresh produce, freezing it very quickly to lock in the taste and nutrition of the food for optimum quality for consumers.

They are widely used in the frozen food industry for ice cream, pre-prepared meals and vegetables or fish; however, as they are very adaptable to the needs of businesses, there is no limit to the industries that can benefit from a Blast Freezer.

Why use a Blast Freezer?

When you freeze food, the water inside crystallises into ice. The longer the freezing process takes, the larger the ice crystals can form. Larger ice crystals damage materials by causing phenomena like cell bursting, which affects the quality and flavour of foods.

Rapid freezing causes the formation of tiny crystals, which do minor damage and preserve food at a higher quality. Even more usefully, once the food is "blast frozen", it can be moved into a standard freezer for longer-term storage, as long as it stays cold enough for food at the correct temperature, of course.

Blast Freeze Fruit

How Do You Blast Freeze?

Many blast freezers use blower fans that force cold air across the freezer's contents to chill it rapidly. Others can work in other ways depending on the design. They can be equipped with trays that move about to position foods and often include various compartments for freezing.

An average freezer can typically handle foods at room temperature or even heated as long as the freezer's capacity is not overloaded. Put a lot of hot food in the freezer, and its temperature will rise, which will negatively affect its cooling capacity.

Safe Freezing with a Blast Chillers

Aside from the integrity, quality, and taste of the food, blast freezing also offers a health and safety benefit in that frigid temperatures slow down bacteria's growth. Contamination is significantly reduced if the food is handled safely and then put into the freezer immediately after preparation.

This benefit to food safety is one of the reasons why blast freezing is very popular in commercial food preparation areas, as it greatly reduces the risk to customers and consumers.

CRS can provide custom Blast Freezers to meet the unique needs of your company's requirements, including:

Internal person trapped alarm systems with fridge shutdown and battery backup
Control System with Pack Controlled and touch display
Remote diagnostics and alarms
Manual override controller and display
Sensor failure alarm
Person trapped alarm

CRS assists in improving the productivity of your business with Blast Freezers, which is not limited to a specific industry. For more information about tailored cold storage, speak to one of our professionals today!

24th May 2025

CRS Cold Storage

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a blast freezer and how does it work?

A blast freezer is a freezer that operates at extremely low temperatures to freeze food very rapidly. Often called a shock freezer, it works by forcing cold air over food using powerful fans, quickly lowering its temperature. CRS blast freezers are designed to lock in taste, texture, and nutritional value by freezing products much faster than standard freezers.

Why is blast freezing better than normal freezing?

Blast freezing is better because rapid freezing creates much smaller ice crystals inside food. Smaller crystals cause less cellular damage, preserving flavour, appearance, and quality. CRS blast freezers minimise ice crystal formation, helping food retain its original texture once defrosted.

What types of food can be blast frozen?

A wide range of foods can be blast frozen, including cooked meals, fresh produce, ice cream, vegetables, fish, and pre-prepared meals. CRS blast freezers are highly adaptable, making them suitable for many food types and industries without limitation.

Is blast freezing safe for food?

Yes, blast freezing is very safe for food when handled correctly. Extremely low temperatures slow bacterial growth significantly, reducing the risk of contamination. This is why CRS blast freezers are widely used in commercial food preparation environments where food safety is critical.

Can blast frozen food be stored in a normal freezer afterward?

Yes, once food has been blast frozen, it can be transferred to a standard freezer for long-term storage. As long as the correct temperature is maintained, CRS blast freezing allows businesses to preserve food quality while using conventional freezer storage efficiently.

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