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How does a fluidized-bed freezer freeze foods such as peas and diced carrots?

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

Fluidized-bed freezers are specifically designed to process particulate foods, such as peas and diced carrots, by utilizing a mesh conveyor belt that moves the items through a freezing zone.1

In this process, cold air is directed upward through the mesh belt with enough force to cause the food particles to tumble and float, a state known as fluidization. This movement is highly effective because it exposes all sides of each individual piece of food to the cold air, which minimizes resistance to heat transfer at the surface.1

This technique is a key component of the individually quick-frozen (IQF) method. By keeping the particles in motion, the freezer ensures that they do not cohere or freeze into a solid block, resulting in a high-quality final product where each piece remains separate.2