What is IQF?

IQF (Individual Quick Frozen) is a sophisticated system and application in the frozen food technology. Food products are individually frozen at a temperature of -40 ºC in short period of time with this method. This operation is conducted by freezing the water inside the products, which ensures the long life of food products without additives. To prevent the loss of nutritive value of the product during the application, the freezing should occur without damaging the cell membrane of the food products, which requires that the products reach the temperature of -5 °C very quickly.

Freezing is a natural way of preservation. The only difference between this method and home-type freezers is the feature of decreasing the temperature to -42 °C by instant freezing. The freezing process in home-type freezers runs slowly, which damages the cell membranes of the products with the products losing their nutritive value as a result. Deep freezing is a method involving no use of additives.

IQF yöntemi ile -40 ºC’ de şoklanarak donduruldukları ve -18 ºC derecede saklandıkları için dondurulmuş gıdalarda çürüme sebebi olan mikroorganizmaların üremesi ve bunun sonucunda ürünlerin bozulması, besin değerlerinin kaybolması mümkün değildir.

Raw Materials Used

Raw materials processed in the frozen food industry should possess special features. Such features are:

[+] Being free of pesticide (chemical substance) residues
[+] Selection of products free of hormones
[+] Being suitable for processing and having maximum natural quality
[+] Have a durability suitable for the process to avoid damage to the natural balance
[+] Maximum-level efficiency through special seeds

Shelf Life

The frozen fruit, vegetable can be stored for 24 hours in the refrigerator, for 7 days in the freezing compartment and until the expiration date at -18°C in deep freezers.

Conditions for the Storage of Frozen Food

Frozen products should be stored in deep freezers at -18 °C without defrosting. When taken out for use, such products should be used immediately without waiting for them to defrost. Furthermore, food that is not intended for use should be taken back to the deep freezer right away, in which case the same storage conditions and nutritive value shall apply for the product.

The activity of microorganisms in the food that cause fast decomposition of the products stops when the products reach the temperature of -18 °C. Once the frozen products are defrosted, a part of the water that they contain comes out and the microorganisms resume their activity. A product kept in a defrosted condition for a long time undergoes a great loss of nutritive value and decomposition due to the activity of the microorganisms. Thus, defrosted products, if frozen once again, may lose their nutritive value and product quality.

Advantage of Frozen Food

No additives are used in frozen food products. The long storage, it is sufficient to freeze the products using the IQF method, without the necessity to use chemicals.

Fruits and vegetables picked in their respective ripening seasons do not contain hormones. Furthermore, if frozen using the advanced technology systems in a hygienic condition with their nutritive value preserved, the products offered may be even fresher than the fresh ones. If the storage rules are complied with, the freshness of frozen food will be preserved.

1 kg of sorted, washed and frozen vegetables is equivalent to 2.5 kg of unsorted vegetables purchased at the market. The price paid for the frozen food covers the whole content of the container. In short, you are not paying for the stem, peel and stone.

The frozen products offer facility of use and four-season food diversity.

Control of the hygiene standards during the harvest, production and distribution phases minimizes the contamination risk before cooking.

As a result, frozen food is the most practical solution nowadays that saves us money, time and energy, is free of chemicals and additives, offers diversity and can be stored for a long time.