Frozen foods, also known as frozen foods, are foods that are produced by freezing at a low temperature. Frozen food is an important development of food processing technology, which is different from ordinary freezing and refrigeration methods. Its main feature is that the food must be washed, blanched, cooked or otherwise processed, and then quickly frozen at a low temperature (below -33°C). The product temperature quickly passes through -1°C to 11°C in half an hour. The temperature range (also known as the maximum ice crystal formation zone, which is the temperature range in which more than 80% of the water content in the food becomes ice crystals), after the food freezes, the crystal particles are less than 10μm, the center temperature of the food is below -18°C, and then Store and transport at this temperature.
The characteristics of frozen foods Compared with other foods, frozen foods have the following five advantages:
The first is health and high quality. Food after low-temperature quick-freezing treatment can not only maximize the color, flavor and nutrition of the food itself, but also effectively inhibit the activities of microorganisms and ensure food safety.
The second is nutritionally reasonable. Such as quick-frozen conditioning food ingredients, you can control the fat, calories and cholesterol content through different combinations of raw materials to meet the needs of different consumers.
The third is a wide variety of products. There are four major categories of frozen foods, more than 3,000 varieties, from non-staple foods to staple foods, from plate dishes to snacks, everything is incomparable, which is unmatched by any other processed food, which also provides for those who are not good at cooking Convenience.
Fourth, it is convenient to eat. Frozen food can not only adjust seasonal balance between supply and demand, but also reduce household work, reduce urban waste, and protect the environment.
The fifth is lower costs. Compared with canned foods, frozen foods have the advantages of fresh taste and low energy consumption. Frozen foods consume about 30% less energy than canned foods.
Frozen foods are divided into four categories: quick-frozen fruit and vegetable foods, quick-frozen livestock and poultry foods, quick-frozen aquatic products, and quick-frozen prepared foods.
Frozen fruits and vegetables. Such as quick-frozen green beans, asparagus, green beans, peas English, soybeans, potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower and carrots and frozen strawberries, lychee, peach, pineapple and cherry.
Frozen livestock and poultry. Such as quick-frozen pigs, cattle, sheep, meat, livestock by-products, frozen chicken, rabbits and game, etc.;
Frozen aquatic products. Such as frozen fish, shrimp and shellfish;
Frozen foods. Such as quick-frozen sandwiches, hamburgers, pizza, fried patties, siumai, dumplings, broilers, dumplings, spring rolls, fried rice, dumplings, oysters, meatballs and fish balls and frozen milk sauce, mustard pork, twice-cooked pork, curry Chicken, fish-flavored pork, green pepper beef, green bean meat, and other dishes.
Overview of the development of frozen foods at home and abroad Quick-frozen foods originated in the United States and began in 1928. However, in the long-term afterwards, people lacked the necessary understanding of frozen foods, did not win more consumers, and production was very slow. It was not until after World War II that quick-frozen foods developed rapidly. From 1948 to 1953, the United States systematically studied frozen foods, proposed the famous concepts of T, T, and T, and formulated the "Regulations for Manufacturing Frozen Foods." Since then, quick-frozen foods have achieved industrial production and entered supermarkets, and have been favored by consumers. In particular, the rapid development of fruit and vegetable monomer freezing technology has created a new situation in frozen foods, and this technology has rapidly swept the world. In recent years, the production and consumption of frozen foods in the world is in the ascendant. Its growth rate is as high as 20%-30%, exceeds any kind of food, and has more than 3,000 varieties. Some countries in the United States, Japan, and Europe have formed processing and sales from raw material production areas. The complete cold chain to the family has ensured the industrialization and socialization of frozen foods. According to relevant information, frozen foods will become the fastest growing food in the world, and their sales volume will account for 60%-70% of all foods in developed countries. They have replaced the monopoly position of canned foods and rank first in processed foods.
Although frozen foods have started late in China, they also have a history of more than 30 years. They began to produce quick-frozen foods mainly for trial production of large-scale canneries in coastal cities for export. Most of them use cold storage rooms instead of freezing for technical reasons. Most of the processes use labor. Operation, due to the limited capacity of the refrigeration room, the freezing is mostly in a few hours, and many products become “slow-frozen foodâ€, so the production development is very slow. In 1973, three quick-frozen food factories in Beijing, Qingdao, and Shanghai simultaneously introduced spiral freezers from Japan, which promoted the development of frozen food in China. The export capacity increased from the original 200 tons to the current 800,000 tons. In the 1980s, with the continuous increase in the number of imported equipment and the successful development of various domestic equipment, China's frozen food processing technology has gradually approached the international level, and frozen foods have only developed from the past in the frozen processing of meat and aquatic products. To fruit, vegetables and processed food processing. At present, there are nearly 200 enterprises producing frozen foods in China, with over 300 varieties and an annual production capacity of 10 million tons. At present, only frozen vegetable exports have reached 500,000 tons, and the export volume of quick-frozen convenience foods has surpassed Italy’s number one in the world.
However, it should be noted that China's current frozen foods, whether quantity or variety, are far from meeting the needs of the market, and their processing technology is far behind that of foreign countries. The product's shelf life is shorter, and the pre-treatment technology and thawing technology are lagging behind. The cold chain also lags behind. Unsound, most of the frozen food machinery is still mainly dependent on imports, and can not adapt to the needs of the development of frozen food.