York, PA, US: Klinge Corporation has introduced a new refrigerated container with blast freezing capability.
Klinge’s Blast Freezer Model CBU-30 is designed to transport high value fish such as yellow fin tuna to freeze loads to an ultra-low temperature directly after being caught. The system also functions with pre-frozen cargo.
There is a move to lower temperature freezing machinery world wide says Henrik Klinge, chief executive, Klinge Corporation. Blast freezing yellow fin tuna and other high value fish to an ultra-low temperature of -60ºC (-76ºF) substantially reduce transportation costs as the fish can be transported by container ship rather than air freighted, he says. Tests show that shelf life is increased when tuna is frozen to -60ºC and thawed in a controlled environment.
“The unit’s evaporator fan is designed to press the air through the load to ensure even temperatures throughout the load,” Klinge says. “Many standard units are not equipped with an evaporator fan designed to accommodate cargos with high-pressure drops.”
The freezer has a thawing module that uses a series of probes to monitor the thawing process by transmitting real-time temperatures to a microprocessor. This regulates the rate of temperature rise in the cargo and adjusts temperature to provide the thaw rate without surpassing the pre-determined core and surface temperatures.
“This very controlled thawing method optimizes tuna quality by ensuring that the natural red pigmentation of tuna is maintained much longer and that there is minimal drip-loss,” says Klinge.
“Our Quick Thaw Unit saves our customers money as it increases the use of frozen seafood instead of expensive fresh seafood.”
