Available options for the rapid chilling of food

"If you can't chill it then you can't cook it" was the saying I distinctly remember when I began working as a production chef many years ago.

Moduline Cryogen

We are all aware of the "temperature danger zone" where microbiological activity is most prevalent in food production, yet time after time we see kitchens where the cooking capabilities far out-weigh the ability to cool the product in a safe time-span.

Facts to consider when discussing chilling:

• It generally takes longer to cool a product than cook a product, so the cooling capacity of a facility must be greater than the cooking ability
• Minimising microbiological activity through the heat treating of a product needs to go hand in hand with being able to cool it within acceptable parameters
• The chilling process needs be monitored to ensure correct target temperatures and times are met; as is the case when cooking and pasteurising a product
• Cross-contamination risk management must be applied to the cooling process, not just the preparation and cooking stages 
• The method of cooling must suit the mass and conductivity of the product being cooled to ensure product integrity