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How do plate freezers freeze brick-shaped food packages?

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frozen meals — frozen meal Depositing of prepared meals in trays prior to freezing.

Plate freezers are highly efficient systems used to freeze flat or brick-shaped food packages, such as those containing vegetables like spinach or broccoli, as well as fish fillets and beef patties.12

The process works through direct contact:
* Internal Cooling: Refrigerant is circulated through thin channels located inside metal plates, cooling them to subfreezing temperatures.12
* Firm Contact: The brick-shaped food packages are placed between these metal plates and are firmly pressed against them.12
* Heat Transfer: This direct contact allows for high rates of heat transfer between the food product and the refrigerated plates, ensuring rapid freezing.2

By maintaining this firm pressure, plate freezers minimize the resistance to heat transfer at the surface of the food, which is essential for maintaining the quality of frozen meals and other packaged goods.12