12 replies to this topic

[Foodprep]

Hello Experts, 

 

Quick Question- I am developing SOP under PRP for Freezing Chilled soups. Our temperature goal is to reach -18C however, I am not able to find a criteria for time. Freezing is to extend our shelf life so, we would freeze soups rapidly in our blast freezer but I am wondering if I need to meet a minimum time requirement such as for chilling foods? Would it be appropriate to say that chilled foods drop continuously in temperature until it reaches -18C? 

 

Thanks,

K 

[Charles.C]

Hello Experts, 

 

Quick Question- I am developing SOP under PRP for Freezing Chilled soups. Our temperature goal is to reach -18C however, I am not able to find a criteria for time. Freezing is to extend our shelf life so, we would freeze soups rapidly in our blast freezer but I am wondering if I need to meet a minimum time requirement such as for chilling foods? Would it be appropriate to say that chilled foods drop continuously in temperature until it reaches -18C? 

 

Thanks,

K 

 

Hi foodprep,

 

It may depend on what kind of soup and perhaps whether RTE or NRTE  but there are usually Regulatory requirements related to this topic.

 

Why freeze a chilled soup ?

[Foodprep]

Hi foodprep,

 

It may depend on what kind of soup and perhaps whether RTE or NRTE  but there are usually Regulatory requirements related to this topic.

 

Why freeze a chilled soup ?

RTE, I can't seem to find it 

To extend the shelf life. We have a new client who wants to sell it frozen. They want to hold it longer in their inventory. 

[Charles.C]

RTE, I can't seem to find it 

To extend the shelf life. We have a new client who wants to sell it frozen. They want to hold it longer in their inventory. 

 

RTE = ready-to-eat.

 

There is a lengthy, recent Canadian thread here on chilled/frozen soups.

 

There are potentially controversial elements involved, notably the labelling/commercialisation of RTE/NRTE products. (unrelated to yr current OP).

 

I think you will find that Health Canada specify cooling times but their website IMEX is a maze.

[Leila Burin]

Hello,

I suggest to do predictive microbiology to set the time: i.e: with https://www.combase.cc/index.php/es/

 

best regards,

Leila

[Charles.C]

hi foodprep,

 

Were you able to locate any official requirements ?

[Foodprep]

hi foodprep,

 

Were you able to locate any official requirements ?

Nope! I was told that there are no regulatory requirements for freezing so we must come up with our own safe limit. 

[M D]

Hi,

Not sure about regulatory requirements; however, one of UK's retailers COP says that:

• Freezing should start within 12h from packing
• reach below -18C within 12h from start of freezing 

Which IMO makes sense, products should be frozen as soon as practically possible as you want to preserve that hopefully low micro of you product.

[Foodprep]

Thanks, Michael. 

Hi,

Not sure about regulatory requirements; however, one of UK's retailers COP says that:

• Freezing should start within 12h from packing
• reach below -18C within 12h from start of freezing 

Which IMO makes sense, products should be frozen as soon as practically possible as you want to preserve that hopefully low micro of you product.

[Foodprep]

Thanks, Michael. 

Is it possible to provide the link of this information. I will keep it for my records. 

[Charles.C]

Parallel thread, this is UK "answer" (different to Post 9) followed by India. -

 

https://www.ifsqn.co...sh/#entry165840

 

PS - 12 hours sounds "improbable" unless perhaps whole carcasses are involved.

[trubertq]

Depends on how the product is packed. 20 kg blocks of fish can take that long to reach -18°C in a blast freezer.

 

If the product is being run through a tunnel freezer or some other system it probably won't take as long. 

 

The Chilled Food Association had good guidelines for this. 

 

https://www.chilledf...-chilled-foods/

[Charles.C]

Depends on how the product is packed. 20 kg blocks of fish can take that long to reach -18°C in a blast freezer.

 

If the product is being run through a tunnel freezer or some other system it probably won't take as long. 

 

The Chilled Food Association had good guidelines for this. 

 

https://www.chilledf...-chilled-foods/

Link appears to need 100 GBP.

 

Yes, freezing time depends intimately on thickness. And horsepower. And loading. And leakage.

 

For comparison, a plate freezer will do a standard 7kg fish fillet block in 2 hours. Blasters are certainly more amenable to overloading though.

 

PS - Some of the free stuff in yr link is useful. Thks.