High Efficiency Cryogenic Chilling for Food Processors

High-efficiency cryogenic chilling processes can boost productivity and streamline food processing operations. At the same time, they can help maintain proper food temperatures throughout the plant, which is essential for food preservation and food safety. By attending this webinar, you’ll gain an understanding of cryogenic solutions that address a variety of temperature control issues in commercial food processing operations and how they may be applied to your operations.

Cryogenic chilling systems use either liquid nitrogen (N2) or carbon dioxide (CO2) to chill foods or ingredients with high efficiency. They offer a valuable alternative to mechanical refrigeration and other chilling methods, such as manually loading bags of ice or dry ice into mixers, manually packing ice into food boxes, or grinding frozen blocks of meat in a grinder/mixer.

As production grows, these older methods can create bottlenecks and heighten plant risks for motion and back injuries, and cross-contamination. In addition, traditional mechanical chilling and refrigeration systems typically rely on ammonia-based refrigerants, which are hazardous chemicals. In contrast, cryogenic solutions chill with inert gases that are naturally occurring in the environment.

Cryogenic Cooling for the Meat Industry

In the meat, poultry and seafood industries, cryogenic chilling can efficiently and consistently bring protein products to the desired equilibration temperature and can reduce the need for holding freezers to minimize overall refrigeration costs at a plant. CO2 snow generators and automated CO2 snow chilling systems can replace ice chilling methods, and reduce chilling costs while saving time and labor in the process. Liquid cryogenic systems can chill ground meat, poultry or seafood products for added efficiency.

Cryogenic Cooling for the Baking Industry

In the baking and snack food industry, cryogenic chilling can be used before or during mixing. Tightly controlled cryogenic chilling systems can reduce mixer cycle times and improve downstream handling and extrusion processes.

Other Plant Uses of Cryogens

Beyond cold food processing, CO2 or N2 gases can be used in other plant operations, including protecting dry ingredients in storage silos, and protecting packaged foods with modified-atmosphere packaging (MAP) systems. Multiple uses of these food-grade gases at a plant can improve economies of scale to further reduce operating plant costs.

In this webinar, featured speakers will discuss the advantages of cryogenic chilling, how it works and describe the properties of cryogens. This webinar will present several cryogenic solutions that address a variety of temperature control issues in commercial food processing operations, especially bottom injection chilling in a mixer, blender or kettle; sauce cooling and dry ingredient chilling. Additionally featured will be chilling with CO2 snow automated combo-bin chillers, box chilling systems, snow generators and snow horns, for a variety of processes.

Speakers

Erik Fihlman, Applications Specialist Manager, Linde LLC

Erik Fihlman is an Applications Specialist Manager  for the food and beverage team of Linde LLC, where he leads the commercialization of new solutions-based technologies and marketing programs serving industrial and wholesale bakeries and processors of prepared foods, protein and seafood.

Linde offers a range of cryogenic solutions for chilling/freezing operations and modified-atmosphere packaging (MAP) that improve throughput, production efficiencies and product quality.

Fihlman brings 10 years of experience to his post in roles spanning field engineering, project management and solutions selling. Among previous positions at Linde, he was responsible for food freezing and chilling applications, technical sales, and food industry segment growth for Linde’s Eastern U.S. and Midwest regions.

Before joining Linde, he served eight years as a pilot in the U.S. Navy. Fihlman is a 1999 graduate of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy where he earned a B.S. in Marine Engineering. He is based at Linde’s headquarters in Murray Hill, NJ.

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Robert Skobel, Senior Business Development Manager, Key Accounts, Linde LLC

Robert Skobel is a Senior Key Account Executive with responsibilities of managing the growth and development of a select customer segment with unique challenges and a primary focus on the protein industry.  His role is addressing these challenges and bringing greater value to their processing lines with Linde’s cryogenic freezing and chilling solutions.  Bob’s unique ability to assemble Linde resources and conventional technology with unconventional methods have delivered cost saving solutions for production, efficiency and yield in the protein industry.  Bob is a member of the Linde Customer Focus & Problem Solving Team, three-time winner of Linde’s Customer Focus Award,  Recipient of the Linde Spirit Award  and participant of two applications for patents.

Bob brings 20+ years of Linde experience in roles that span field sales and engineering, project management, solutions selling and employee development. Before joining Linde, he owned and operated a regional tooling business providing custom tooling to the wood and plastics industry. Bob is a graduate of the California University of Pennsylvania , where he earned a B.S in Industrial Technology and Education.  He is based in Dallas, Texas.

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